We're WHAT!
by sensei-girl
Summary: So what are you saying? That because of some stupid spell we're married!". "that's about it Granger"? Malfoy smirked and continued, "and if our lives couldn't be any worse the spell wouldn't have taken effect unless we were soul mates". "We're What!"
1. Arrival

A/N: This is my first fan fic, so bear with me.

In this story Dumbledore is dead, voldemort is defeated and the Golden trio is heading back to Hogwarts for their seventh year.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this fan fic, J. K. Powling does, and at no point will I ever claim other wise.

* * *

Hermione POV

Heaving a big sigh I took one last look at myself in the bathroom mirror. Normally I don't worry this much about my appearance but this year was going to be different. I was no longer the bushy haired, beaver toothed, book worm that I was in previous years. My teeth size had been reduced to a proper size by Madame Pomfrey in year four when Malfoy had jinxed them to grow, my hair wasn't bushy anymore but now fell in light brown ringlets halfway down my back. My body too had changed; I wasn't flat chested and curve less but had a slim healthy hourglass figure and a size 36 B cup chest. I looked like a whole new person. I hadn't told my friends yet about the change, I wanted it to be a surprise.

I glanced at the clock on my bedside table '_ten minutes'_, "shoot" It was time to go back to Hogwarts. This would be my last year, the ministry of Magic had declared that all students the previous year had not gotten a proper education with death eaters running the school so we were all going to repeat it.

"Hermione let's go! You're going to be late!" My mother yelled from downstairs.

"Alright. I'm coming!" I grabbed my trunk and made a final sweep with my eyes to make sure that I had everything. I made my way downstairs and placed my trunk on the floor near the small clock that rested on top of our fire place.

"Do you have everything?"

"Yes dad," The hands of the clock were reaching the top. '_one minute'_ I thought. My parents gave me one last hug each. Clasping the letter firmly in my hand I thought of that day one month ago when I first got my letter.

**Flashback**

"Hermione your Hogwarts letter is here". My mom called to me from downstairs

I jumped off my bed and ran downstairs to see my mom at the kitchen table with a tawny owl in front of her. I took the letter from its beak and the owl took off. '_This is it'_ I thought.

Slowly I opened my letter and read

_To Miss Hermione Granger_

_This letter is to remind you of the start of the new school year on September 1__st__. Attached is your booklist, and a copy of the items prohibited from the grounds. I am pleased to inform you that you have been given the title of Head girl, and will be sharing a dorm with the head boy, who you will find out about when you get to school. Because of your new position it is requested that you arrive at school on August 31 to get acquainted with the head boy and to learn your duties that you will have to perform this year. _

_Ps. be noted that this letter will become a port key to Hogwarts at exactly noon on the 31__st__ of August._

_Congratulations_

_Headmaster, Minerva McGonagall _

"EEEEEEEEEP!"

"What is it Hermione? My mother asked looking slightly worried. I couldn't blame her either. I had never said eep before in my life.

"I got head girl!"

"that's great honey" My mother gave me a big hug and walked into the kitchen to start dinner. That night we had lasagna (my favourite) and the next day we went to Diagon Alley for my books.

Because I had been made head girl my parents surprised me by walking into Eyelops Owl Emporium and letting me choose the one I wanted. I finally chose a beautiful black owl that, strangely enough, had deep blue eyes. She also had a white moon shaped crescent on her back so I named her Selena after the moon goddess Selene. I smiled, '_This is going to be a great year'_, I thought.

**End flashback**

I started counting down. Ten…nine…eight….. seven….six…five…four….three….two…one. I made one last smile at my parents before I felt the familiar tug behind my navel.

When the sensation stopped I was in Hogsmead, just outside the front gates. Looking around quickly I noticed one of the Thestral drawn carriages waiting for me and quickly dragged my trunk over to it. I pushed my trunk in ahead of me, but before I sat down I looked around again. There was no sign of anyone else who looked like a student, and there was no one else inside the carriage with her.

"he must already be at the school then", I thought out loud.

The carriage ride took about ten minutes and then I was pulling up to the big oak front doors where professor McGonagall stood waiting.

When I stepped down from the carriage, my trunk disappeared, and I figured that it had been sent up to my dorm.

"Thank you for coming miss Granger. If you would please follow me, the Head Boy is already in my office".

'_I was right'._ Trying to subdue my dying curiosity as to who he would be, I quietly followed her as she led me to Dumbledore's office, now hers.

McGonagall walked up to the Griffin and said the password, "pixie sticks". I guessed she was going to keep Dumbledore's tradition of using a candy name for the password. I silently wondered how she even knew of that muggle candy but I let it slide.

I followed her up the winding staircase and was then brought into her office. It looked the exact same as when Dumbledore lived there minus Fawkes, and when he had been killed it looked like nothing had been moved or changed.

"Please sit, Miss Granger." McGonagall stated simply, gesturing at one of the two chairs sitting before her desk. At the sound of my name the figure in the left chair turned around. My eyes were met with two silvery gray ones, accompanied by that smirk that I knew all to well. I gasped, and stumbled back slightly.

"What the HELL are you doing here !"


	2. Discovery

Chapter 2

* * *

Upon seeing me there was abrief moment where I thought i saw a flash of surprise on his face as well as something else that I just couldn't place. However as fast as it had come, it was gone and I wondered if I had even seen it at all.

"Hello to you to Granger". Malfoy sneered at me. I glared back and sat in the chair beside him.

"You made him Head boy!" I exclaimed "He's the no good son of a death eater!"

"That's enough miss Granger." Proff. McGonagall replied sternly taking her own seat behind the desk. "As you well know, you are at the top of your class, which is why among other reasons, that you were chosen for this job."McGonagall said. "Mister Malfoy here came in second with his marks and as such was the natural decision for the head boy position."

I seethed as I listen to her words, Malfoy looking smug beside me.

"Now, miss, granger there will be no need for any fighting or name calling from either of you this year as you two will be sharing a dorm and will have to learn to get along eventually. Both of you, am I understood?"

"Yes professor." We both said at the same time, all the while glaring at each other.

"Good. Now that's settled, I assume that you know the reason why you are both here a day early?"

We nodded.

"As heads you will be required to plan and host the Halloween ball, any plans need to go through me first. And yes Miss Granger when I say host, I mean that you will be attending the ball together."

I groaned.

"You will have to organize the prefect patrol schedules and you will both be required to patrol together every other night from ten to eleven. Now that that's all clear, I will show you to your dorm".

McGonagall rose from her seat and swept out the door. I mirrored her actions and tried to follow her but my foot caught on something and I landed on the rug with a soft thud.

"better watch where you're going mud blood". He sneered at my face standing over me."You might trip." He stepped over my legs, and walked briskly to the door. I got up, dusted off the front of my robes and followed him out of the room.

* * *

We followed McGonagall up four flights of stairs and down a long corridor until we arrived at a gilt framed portrait of a prince and princess. They were standing at opposite ends of the picture glaring at each other. The princess looked exactly like me except she was wearing a long deep red silk medieval gown with a gold leaf patterned circlet on her waist length chocolate hair. She was beautiful. The Malfoy in the picture was dressed in loose black leather pants, and a rich green shirt with silver embroidery on the edges. His short blonde hair fell loosely over his face and he had a silver sword on his hip.

'_**He looks hot' **_

'_Wait what am I thinking?! This is Malfoy we're talking about, bad Hermione bad!'_

'_**Yeah but you can't deny it he's cute.'**_

'_Who are you?'_

'_**I'm the little voice in your head'**_

'_Oookay…How can you say he's cute? He's an evil conniving little ferret'_

'_**But a very, very cute little ferret.'**_

'_Stop that!'_

'_**Why, I know you like him.'**_

'_I don't like him. Like I said before, this is MALFOY we're talking about.'_

'_**Uh huh, sure. You just keep telling yourself that.'**_

'_Stop it! Ugh I must be going insane.'_

'_**I heard that.'**_

'_Good.'_

'_Ok, that was creepy.' _I shook my head, and just stared at the two in the painting and watched them with their arms crossed glaring and sneering at each other while at the same time trying to get as far away from the other as possible with the frame.

As I had been fighting with my inner self, Proff. McGonagall had walked up to the painting in front of us.

"Hello there your highnesses, may I introduce you to the new Head Boy and Head girl." She introduced us to the painting and then left us, saying something about final preparations for tomorrow.

Princess Hermione turned and made a graceful curtsy towards us.

"You will pick a password."

I turned to Draco who was staring at the two in the portrait.

"What should the password be Malfoy?"

"How about Mudblood? Mudblood." Malfoy smirked.

"What about amazing bouncing ferret?" I retorted with a small smirk. Malfoy scowled. "No? Then how about, Unity?" I suggested.

"Whatever."

"Unity it is then, welcome." The princess bowed and the portrait opened. We stepped into the head dorm and I gasped. Malfoy just pushed past me and went up the stairs at the end of the room.

* * *

The common room had to have been at least the size of the Gryffindor common room. There was a large fire place on the right wall, with two large plushy chairs in front, facing each other the chairs were red, but the couch that was also in the room was silver in colour. '_Trying to blend house colours.'_ I figured.

I walked farther into the room and noticed a private kitchen on the left. It had amazingly enough, a muggle refrigerator, stove, and microwave. The fridge was stocked in case I needed a snack and all the food was charmed to never go bad.

I made my way out of the kitchen and up the stairs. There were three doors in the hallway. The one at the far end was green, _'Malfoy.'_ And the one closest to me was red. I opened that door and squealed. My room was gorgeous; it had to be at least twice the size of my room at home. There was a king sized bed in the centre of the room, the frame was Mahogany and the mattress was covered in gold silk sheets, with a deep ruby duvet comforter an pillows. My trunk rested at the foot. There was a large Mahogany desk on one side of the room, with Selena's cage sitting empty on it, so I figured that she was in the owlery. On the other side of my room was what I figured to be my closet.

Opening my closet door I nearly fainted. It was a huge walk-in. My clothes and robes had already been put away, I figured, by the elves.

Smiling, I left my room, closing the door behind me and proceeded to the door that faced the two heads rooms on the opposite wall of the hallway. Opening the door I gasped as I came face to face with the bathroom. It was beautiful, the large cream marble bathtub had to have been the size of a swimming pool. There was a marble shower at the end of the room and two marble sinks facing a large mirror on the left wall. Everything was accented in gold. _'wow'._

It was then that it hit me.

'_One bathroom. Only one. Dang it.'_

"Malfoy! Get in here!" I yelled. "Now!"

"What is it now Mudblood?" He said in a bored voice, leaning against the door frame, and staring at me. I brushed off his comment.

"There's only one bathroom, that's what!" I yelled at him.

"Well," Malfoy smirked amused. Looking me up and down. "This should be interesting."

"What do you mean, interesting?!" I half- screamed at him.

"Yes." He continued. That ever present smirk, never fading, a mischevious glint in his eyes."Very interesting indeed."


	3. Draco

Chapter 3

Draco's POV about two hours before he leaves for Hogwarts

I lay on my bed, eyes closed, yet completely aware of my surroundings. Summer days at Malfoy manor were usually quiet affairs, and today was no exception. My left hand rest above my head, against the hardwood headboard of my bed, and my right hand was lying on my stomach, fist wrapped firmly around a thoroughly crumpled letter. I could see clearly in my mind what it said, as I had re-read it many times since it arrived.

_To Mr. Draco Malfoy_

_This letter is to remind you of the start of the new school year on September 1__st__. Attached is your booklist, and a copy of the items prohibited from the grounds. I am pleased to inform you that you have been given the title of Head boy, and will be sharing a dorm with the head girl, who you will find out about when you get to school. Because of your new position it is requested that you arrive at school on August 31 to get acquainted with the head girl and to learn your duties that you will have to perform this year. _

_Ps. be noted that this letter will become a port key to Hogwarts at exactly 11:45 am on the 31__st__ of August. The head girl will be arriving at noon._

_Congratulations,_

_Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall _

I was truly amazed, that I had been given head boy. I was sure that it would have been either Potter, or the Weasel who got it, definitely not me, being the son of a dead death eater and all. However I wasn't complaining about the whole situation, this would be the perfect opportunity to rub my superiority in the face of the golden boy and his sidekick.

The head girl was most definitely Granger. That was certain, there was no way that she would have been overlooked for this job. '_Just great'_ I sneered to myself. _'I have to share a dorm with the 'know it all' bookworm mudblood.'_

'_It might not be so bad, though, we hate each other anyway, I just hope we won't be forced to get along, cause there's just no way that I'm agreeing to that.' _

I got up off my bed and, ignoring my half-filled trunk on the floor, walked to my private bathroom and stripped down for a quick shower. If I was going to school early I might as well be clean.

After 20 minutes I stepped out onto the cool tile floor and wrapped a towel around my waist. I walked out into my bedroom and towards my closet and dresser where I grabbed the remaining items of clothing to put in my trunk, then proceeded to my desk where I grabbed my ink, quills, parchment and school books, throwing them unceremoniously into my trunk on top of my clothes. I also grabbed the small mahogany box that was there and threw that in my trunk as well.

I could've called for a house elf to do it, but I needed to do something with my hands to keep my mind off of recent events and the new stress that had been added to my already hectic life.

_**Flashback – August 30**__**th**__** one day ago**_

I walked down the main stairway of the Manor, and towards the dining room. It had now been two months since the funeral.

Since my father died during the battle, things at the Malfoy manor had been quite different. My mother and I had worked together to figure out the sum of all of my father's debts, which to any normal person would have been a cause for bankruptcy, but for the vast Malfoy wealth, barely made a dent, and left enough gold afterwards for six generations of Malfoys to never have to work ever.

Walking into the dining room I was greeted with a large hug from my mother, which would take some getting used to. My mother had always been told by my father to never show pity or over motherly affection towards me, he didn't want me to become soft and weak.

He had burned it into my head long ago that all muggles and muggleborns were un worthy and told me to never treat them with respect. My mother had never been that type of woman and I guessed that my father would never have married her for that very reason were it not for the large dowry that had come with her when their parents had signed the marriage contract.

When my father had died my mother felt like it was up to her to make up for all of those years of being forced to show no affections toward her only son. So every chance she got she would try and do whatever she could to make me feel 'loved', and honestly after being raised by the type of man that my father was, it was kind of creepy, and uncomfortable. That unfamiliar gesture was definitely going to take some getting used to as I was quite sure that my mother wouldn't be stopping any time soon.

Snapping out of my thoughts I stepped back out of her embrace and took in her smiling face.

"Good morning mother." I said quickly as I walked to my chair and sat at the large table, there was already a plate of warm food there so I picked up my fork and started eating.

"Good morning Draco." She replied still beaming. I averted my eyes from her face as she sat down opposite me. Still unable to stop smiling, she continued. "Happy birthday, son."

I choked slightly and dropped my fork with a clatter, suddenly remembering, it was my birthday today. In all the events following my father's death I had completely forgotten. I was seventeen and now legally able to use magic outside of school.

My birthday had never been a happy occasion for me, with my father constantly reminding me every year on this day that I was one year closer to receiving the dark mark. I had never planned on receiving it so naturally I have always dreaded this day each year.

I looked up at my mother and attempted to look happy, something that I wasn't to good at yet. My mother spoke.

"When you've finished, I would like you to come into the sitting room with me, I want to give you your birthday gift and there's something that I need to tell you now that you have turned seventeen." I made I slight nod and focused again on my breakfast.

I finished soon after and stood from the table. A house elf appeared and cleaned away the dishes, and I made my way out to the sitting room, my mother following close behind.

My mother sat on one end of the large leather sofa that resided and the far end of the room and motioned for me to sit next to her. I did so, keeping a double arms distance between us, partially to try and prevent any random hugging episodes that she might try and throw at me.

"I wanted to give you your birthday gift Draco." She said simply. She took out her wand from the pocket of her light robes and waved it, summoning something to her. That something turned out to be a small rectangular mahogany box with a silver clip securing the lid. I opened it and looked at its contents, confused.

"What are these?" I asked her. What they looked like were two silver pendants, one was a curved silver serpent with emeralds for eyes, and the other was the exact mirror opposite of the first except with rubies instead of emeralds for its eyes.

"These necklaces are for you and your future wife. They were given to me by my mother when you were born and I was told to give them to you when the spell took effect."

"What spell, mother?"

My mother cast her eyes down and I was suddenly very suspicious.

"Mother what did you do?" I asked worried. My mother gave a deep breath and replied, staring me in the eye.

"When I first married your father, I was well aware of the power and wealth that the Malfoy family possessed, that's the reason why my parents made a deal with the Malfoys for my marriage to Lucius." My mother said this all very hurriedly, and she must have realized this because she took another calming breath before continuing on slowly.

"I was worried that because of your name and who your family was that others would try and take advantage of that."

"Take advantage?" I asked.

"Yes, I was worried that parents would push their daughters in your way only for the sole purpose of getting their hands on a part of our money."

I already knew that. Already at school I was surrounded by people who called themselves 'friends' but I knew that they were only around because of my money. If I had been poor (and that very thought is unimaginable), then I would bet anything that none of them would pay any attention to me. I only tolerated these pretenders because they did anything I told them to, and they will continue to do anything, if they think that it will get them in my good books. They were tools, nothing more.

"Well," My mother continued. "The second night after you were born, I was all alone at the hospital, Lucius was at the Ministry. So I asked a nurse to bring you to me and as I was holding you I thought of a way to prevent you from being with or marrying any one like that."

I stared at my mother suddenly dreading what she was about to say next. She continued.

"I placed a spell on you that would go into effect only when you turned seventeen. It has two parts. The first part is a spell that prevents any untrue friends from coming near you. Only true friends and others who don't care about your money will be able to approach you."

'_Dammit, that means that Pothead and Weasel won't be affected by it. It would have been really useful as well. On the plus side I can make sure that the 'tools' never bother me again.'_

I smirked at this thought. "So what's part two?"

My mother sighed and looked me in the eye. "Part two is a marriage spell."

"A what!" I yelled standing up.

"A marriage spell." She said again, apparently unaffected by my outburst.

"You mean, I'm married!"

"No, no…..not yet at least."

"What do you mean by that!" I said loudly

"Why don't you sit down first," My mother said calmly looking at me from her seat. I scowled and begrudgingly sat back down on the sofa.

"The basics of the spell stated that when you turned seventeen, or in other words came of age, then the two parts of the spell would go into effect. The marriage part is fairly simple to understand. When you touch the skin of the woman that you are destined to be with for the very first time after your birthday, then the spell will instantly marry you to her."

I seethed as she continued with her story.

"This woman would not simply love you because of your name and the wealth and power that comes with it. She will be your soul mate in every way, and she will be the only woman to truly love you for who you really are. This spell is also irreversible, so don't even think of trying to get it reversed behind my back." My mother said sternly.

All this true love stuff that she was saying was starting to sound a bit cheesy to me, I interrupted her.

"But it could be anyone, and what if she's not a pureblood?"

"Draco, you should know by now that blood status means nothing to me and neither should it mean anything to you, despite what Lucius taught you." Though my mother had never raised her voice before, I could still detect a little anger in her voice as well as something that sounded a bit like disappointment.

My mother then removed the two necklaces from their box, which she placed on the ground by her feet. She then took the two serpent pendants and clipped them together then showed me her open palm where they now rested. The curved shapes of the serpents when attached to each other formed a heart. She spoke.

"When she has been found these necklaces will appear around your necks, and you won't be able to take them off as they don't have any clasps. I picked up one of the two chains and quickly examined it. _'Dammit she's right.' _My mother took back the pendants, un-clipped them and placed them back in their box, which she then closed the lid and handed to me.

"You should probably go upstairs and pack." She said with a small smile. "You and the head girl are supposed to arrive early at school."

"I know mother," I said hurriedly. I stood up and started walking to the main stairwell. I paused at the door frame and turned my head slightly back towards where my mother was sitting, as an afterthought I added, "Thank you."

'_This is definitely going to be an interesting year, that's for sure.'_

_**End flashback**_

Finally I placed my broom inside and closed my trunk. I went to the end of my bed where I had placed a set of clothes. I quickly dressed in the loose jeans and black t-shirt, figuring that I would change into my robes at Hogwarts. I walked back into my bathroom and quickly brushed my hair, letting it fall loosely around my face as I no longer felt the need to gel it back. Satisfied, I grabbed my trunk and jacket from its place on my bed and apparated downstairs where my mother waited for me by the large fireplace in the sitting room.

The large grandfather clock in the corner of the room showed that I had about two minutes until I would be taken to Hogwarts. I clutched the letter in my hand and flinched slightly as I was hugged by my mother. '_One minute to go.'_ I stepped back clasping the handle of my trunk, five…..four….three……my mother gave me a last wave, I nodded. Two….one.

I felt the familiar pull behind my navel and when it stopped I opened my eyes and took in the front gates of Hogwarts where a Thestral drawn carriage waited for me. The ride itself didn't take more than ten minutes and soon I was pulling up to the big oak front doors of Hogwarts where professor McGonagall stood waiting for me. My trunk disappeared as soon as my feet hit the ground outside my carriage, so I walked up the steps and stopped before professor McGonagall.

"Thank you for coming Mr. Malfoy. Would you please follow me." She turned and led me through the doors and through the school before stopping at the griffin that marked the entrance to Dumbledore's old office, now hers.

She stepped up to the Griffin and said "Pixie sticks", I figured that it was a muggle candy as I had never heard of it before. "You will go up by yourself. I must go down and meet the head girl." I nodded silently and followed the staircase up to the large wooden door, which I pushed open, to behold her office. Apparently she had felt the need to not change anything as everything in the room was the exact same as when Dumbledore had been living there.

There were two chairs in front of the large desk, so I sat in the one on the left and looked around me at nothing in particular, waiting. I only had to wait about fifteen minutes before the door to the office opened and two people walked in.

"Please sit, Miss Granger." McGonagall stated simply, _I was right.' _

I turned to face the mudblood, prepared to shoot out a nasty comment, but at the sight of her I was momentarily stunned. Granger had changed; her hair wasn't bushy anymore but fell in soft brown rings to about the centre of her back. I noticed too that she now had curves. _'wait this is Granger, the mudblood, here. Damn hormones.' _I quickly composed my face and stared into her brown eyes.

"What the HELL are you doing here!" she yelled.

"hello to you to Granger". I sneered at her. she glared back, bringing new meaning to the term 'if looks could kill.' and sat in the chair beside me.

"You made him Head boy!" she exclaimed "He's the no good son of a death eater!"

I scowled and clenched my fists. '_if she only knew'_

"That's enough miss Granger." Proff. McGonagall replied sternly taking her own seat behind the desk. "As you well know, you are at the top of your class, which is why among other reasons, that you were chosen for this job."McGonagall said. "Mister Malfoy here came in second with his marks and as such was the natural decision for the head boy position."

'_Ha! Let's see how you respond to that one mudblood.'_

I watched granger as she seethed at Mc Gonagall's words, I smirked

"Now, miss, granger there will be no need for any fighting or name calling from either of you this year as you two will be sharing a dorm and will have to learn to get along eventually. Both of you, am I understood?"

'_Yeah, never going to happen.'_

"Yes professor." We both said at the same time, all the while glaring at each other.

"Good. Now that's settled, I assume that you know the reason why you are both here a day early?"

I nodded.

"As heads you will be required to plan and host the Halloween ball, any plans need to go through me first. And yes Miss Granger when I say host, I mean that you will be attending the ball together."

I smirked, amused at granger's reaction.

"You will have to organize the prefect patrol schedules and you will both be required to patrol together every other night from ten to eleven. Now that that's all clear, I will show you to your dorm".

McGonagall rose from her seat and swept out the door. Granger got up as well and started to follow McGonagall. I stuck out my foot slightly, and granger tripped, landing with a soft thud on the rug.

"better watch where you're going mud blood". I sneered down at her standing up out of my own seat.

"You might trip."

I stepped over my legs, and walked briskly to the door. I smirked to myself as I heard her pick herself off of the floor and dust off her robes before following me out to the revolving staircase.

We followed McGonagall up four flights of stairs and down a long corridor until we arrived at a gilt framed portrait of a prince and princess. They were standing at opposite ends of the picture glaring at each other. I was surprised to see that they looked exactly like myself and the mudblood. The princess looked exactly like Hermione except she was wearing a long deep red silk medieval gown with a gold leaf patterned circlet on her waist length chocolate hair. She was beautiful '_Damn those hormones'_.

The Malfoy in the picture was dressed in loose black leather pants, and a rich green shirt with silver embroidery on the edges. His short blonde hair fell loosely over his face and he had a silver sword on his hip. I just stared at the painting, marveling in how accurately the two characters were portraying the exact relationship or lack thereof that Granger and I had now.

McGonagall walked up to the portrait and spoke' "Hello there your highnesses, may I introduce you to the new Head Boy and Head girl." She introduced us to the painting and then left us, saying something about final preparations for tomorrow. I continued to pay no heed to Granger who right now looked like she was fighting with herself over something.

Princess Hermione turned and made a graceful curtsy towards us.

"You will pick a password."

Granger turned to me.

"What should the password be Malfoy?"

"How about Mudblood? Mudblood." I smirked, as annoyance crossed her face.

"What about amazing bouncing ferret?" I retorted. I scowled, after that incedent I had tried to burn that run-in with Moody out of my memories.

"No? Then how about, Unity?" she suggested, looking hopeful and somewhat desperate.

"Whatever." I said.

"Unity it is then, welcome." The princess bowed and the portrait opened. We stepped into the head dorm and I almost ran into Hermione as she stood there gaping at the room. I rolled my eyes and pushed past her, taking the steps two at a time and opening the green door at the end of the hallway, which I presumed was mine.

There was a large king sized, ebony framed bed in the centre of the room, with silver silk sheets and deep emerald comforter and pillows. The walls of the room were green, with silver accents. My trunk had been placed at the foot of my bed, and upon further inspection of the room, I found that my books and other supplies had been put on the large ebony desk in the corner of the room and all of my clothes had been put away in the walk-in closet. The mahogany box that my mother had given me was also sitting on the desk.

I was about to change into my robes before heading down to the great hall for lunch when I heard Granger yell from the room across the hall.

"Malfoy! Get in here! Now!" I sighed and exited from my room. I approached the open door of what I found to be the bathroom and leaned against the door frame.

"What is it now Mudblood?" I said in a bored voice.

"There's only one bathroom, that's what!" She yelled at me.

"Well," I smirked. I looked up and down her body. I let my teenage male hormones take over as I silently imagined her body in only a towel. "This should be interesting."

"What do you mean, interesting?!" Granger yelled at me.

'_She sure looks cute when she's angry, wait, what am I thinking? This is mudblood here.'_

I shook those thoughts out of my head.

"Yes." I continued. My ever present smirk, never fading. "Very interesting indeed."

I left Granger fuming in the bathroom and went back to my room where I put on my robes and exited the head dorm for lunch.

I smirked the whole way there.


	4. married

Chapter 4

Hermione's POV

I stood rooted to the spot fuming as Malfoy left the bathroom. It was only when I heard the common room portrait door close that I moved my feet from the marble tile floor of the bathroom. I figured that he had gone down to the Great hall for lunch, but I didn't want to be anywhere near him right now.

I went into my room and opened my trunk, rifling through its few contents, and then finding what it was that I was looking for I went down the stairs and into the kitchen, placing my book on the table on the way. I looked quickly through the fridge before retrieving the necessary ingredients for a sandwich, which I made on the counter. I put the sandwich on a plate then got a large glass of milk and sat at the small dining room table to eat.

I picked up the book that I had brought down with me, _Twilight_, (A/N gotta love twilight  ) I had gotten it for my last birthday and already it was my favourite book. I smiled as I turned to my page and started reading.

**30 minutes later **

I finished my lunch and perched on one of the soft chairs in front of the fireplace to finish my book, curling my feet under me.

A few minutes later Malfoy came back from lunch, only to go up the stairs, grab his broom and exit the common room again, heading for the quiddich pitch.

'_Is quiddich all boys ever think about?'_ I thought to myself before turning back to my book.

'_**Among other things'**_

'_You again?!'_

'_**Yup. Miss me?'**_

'_not particularly, no.'_

'_**That hurt.'**_ The voice said in a clear display of mock pain.

'_Why are you here?'_

'_**I was getting bored. And besides, I like annoying you.'**_

'_You, bored?'_

'_**Yep.'**_

'_And is that your main mission in life?'_

'_**What is?'**_

'_Annoying me to death!'_

'_**Yeah, pretty much. Its fun, you should try it sometime.'**_ The little voice giggled.

'_Alright I am now officially insane.' _

I shook my head clearing it of the voice and focused back on my book.

**2 hours later**

I put _Twilight_ down and stretched. '_That was great'_ I made a mental note to myself to buy the rest of the series when I went home that summer. Malfoy still hadn't come back from flying yet, so I reveled in the freedom of the empty dormitory.

My muscles were a little stiff from sitting in the chair that long so I went up the stairs and into the bathroom where I turned on the taps for the bathtub, I also selected vanilla scented bubble bath to be added to the water. I figured that the tub was spelled to fill quickly because of its size, so the tub was filled with warm bubbly, vanilla scented water in just under a minute.

I went into my bedroom where I stripped down, put on my bathrobe and walked back into the bathroom, locking the door incase Malfoy came back while I was in there. Stepping in the tub I gasped and smiled as I was surrounded by the warm water. I swam a few laps around the tub before finally settling in a spot on the edge. Closing my eyes I let the scent of vanilla and the feel of the water take over.

I must have been sleeping because the next thing I knew I was being woken up by the sound of a fist pounding on the door.

"Granger, let me in!!" I rolled my eyes.

"Why should I?" I yelled back, annoyed. I didn't make any motions towards getting out of the water.

"Because, I have been standing here for the last half-hour pounding on the door. I knew mudbloods were dirty, I never expected them to be deaf though."

That was the final straw. I stepped out of the bath tub, dried myself quickly with a towel and wrapped myself in my bath robe. Malfoy had resumed beating on the door. However, he must not have noticed when I whipped the door open because he hit my forehead with his leather gloved hand, expecting a door to be there instead.

I stepped back clutching my throbbing forehead in my hands. "Dammit, What did you do that for!" I yelled at him. He was smirking.

"Sorry, but you should have warned me that you were opening the door." He said with fake innocence.

I glared at him. "Do you mind? I was having a perfectly peaceful time until you came along. Couldn't you wait?"

"No actually, I couldn't." He said taking off his gloves, before striding into the room and throwing them on the counter, along with his cloak.

"You know, with you being a mudblood I can respect your need for always keeping clean, but could you try and not do it during my time?" he smirked yet again, leaning on the counter and crossing his arms.

"You're time?!" I yelled, near to shrieking.

"Yes, my time. Now could you be a good little mudblood and let me be?"

I was fuming. "You arrogant, self centered, little ferret!"

He clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk, I would assume that a mudblood bookworm such as yourself would be able to come up with a better insult than that."

I swung my fist at his face, but he dodged to the left at the last minute, so instead of it hitting his jaw it landed on his arm.

"Wow, I really thought that you would have better aim." The smirk never left his face.

I swung again but this time he caught my hand in his. Neither of us had time for any comeback because just as our skin touched, a charge of electricity coursed through my body, making me stiffen. Malfoy must have felt it as well because he too looked like he had been shot and was standing stiff as a board still holding my hand in his.

"What did you do, ferret!?" I shouted. Malfoy just stood there eyes wide, staring at our hands.

"Will you let go of me now?" I exclaimed. That seemed to snap him out of it because he immediately lowered our connected hands and attempted to pry them apart. I say attempted because our hands were acting like they were super glued together.

"What the…" I stopped as I was suddenly overcome with a wave of warmth that coursed through my entire body. My eyes widened then as a long silver ribbon appeared out of nowhere and wrapped its self around our still connected hands. When it was finished, the ribbon started to glow, and the glow expanded until it completely surrounded both Malfoy and myself. I shivered then as another wave of heat enveloped me and the glow disappeared.

I was the first one who noticed that our hands were no longer stuck together and I quickly dropped his, backing away.

"What just happened Malfoy?" I said near to freaking out. He acted like he hadn't heard me and turned to the mirror behind him. He stared into the mirror, looking like he was fighting to control some hidden emotion. He smacked the side of his fist onto the marble counter top, and I thought he said something like "Dammit mother".

Wondering what his mother could have to do with all this I repeated my last question, "What just happened Malfoy?"

"I heard you the first time, Granger." He said turning to face me.

"Well, are you going to answer or not?"

Malfoy sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "You might want to sit down for this." He said.

I frowned at him, but figuring that I wasn't going to get any information any other way I walked down the stairs and sat in the chair that I had occupied earlier. Malfoy sat down opposite me and paused for a few second before speaking.

"I'm just going to just come out and say it because either way you are going to freak out and most likely try to disembowel me." I stayed still dreading his next words, suddenly wishing that I had my wand with me.

He took a breath, "When I was a baby my mother didn't want me to grow up and marry 'for lack of a better word', a gold digger basically." I dreaded where this was going.

"So she put a spell on me that would activate when I turned seventeen. It was a marriage spell, that would instantly bind me to the girl that I was supposed to marry when our skin first touched." I was seething. "So that little show in the bathroom right now was the spell taking effect." H stopped speaking and stared at my face, looking for my reaction.

"So what you're saying is that because of some stupid spell we're married?!" I shouted in his direction.

"That's about it Granger." He said smirking. "And just to make out lives that much worse, the spell wouldn't have gone into effect unless we were soul mates."

"We're WHAT!?"


	5. nightgown

Sorry about the wait guys. I just had knee surgery and have been catching up with four missed days of school. Very busy. Any way here's the next chapter. Woohoo! 

Chapter 5

_Previous_

"So what you're saying is that because of some stupid spell we're married?!" I shouted in his direction.

"That's about it Granger." He said smirking. "And just to make our lives that much worse, the spell wouldn't have gone into effect unless we were soul mates."

"We're WHAT!?"

_Now_

The next few moments were a blur. But suddenly I found that I had tackled Malfoy to the rug in front of the fireplace and was now sitting on his chest with my hands around his neck.

"You planned this, didn't you?!" I shrieked still trying to strangle him. He grabbed my wrists, pulled them off his neck and flipped us so that I was now on the bottom. I blew frustratingly at a piece of hair that had fallen over my face. He seemed to pause slightly before speaking.

"Of course I didn't plan this!" He yelled back at me. "How could you think, for even a moment that I would want to be married to a mudblood like you?!"

I glared at him, breathing heavily in my anger. I tried to break his grip and push him off of me but he was too strong." _'Damn quidditch muscles!_' He continued, bending down towards me.

"And quite frankly I was planning on living as a bachelor until I was at least thirty, so don't even presume to imagine that I meant for this to happen." I could feel his hot breath on my face.

Suddenly and without warning we both became aware of just how close we were to each other. I pushed him off of me angrily and fixed my robe that had fallen apart slightly. I glared at him again before walking towards the portrait entrance.

"Where do you think you're going?" Malfoy called out

"To see McGonagall!" I huffed.

"Oh no you're not." He said grabbing my wrist and spinning me around to face him.

"Why? You can't boss me around!"

"Why? Because I really don't think that you, being the bookworm prude that you are, want to be seen by the teachers and headmistress of this school in nothing but a bathrobe." He said smirking, all the while running his eyes down my body, then back up to my face.

I glanced down, shocked, suddenly remembering that I was indeed still in my bathrobe. The silk of my bathrobe had been soaked through with the water that I hadn't bothered to dry off with a towel. The robe now clung to me, giving Malfoy a full view of my shape. I blushed deeply then pushed past him and hurried up the stairs where I grabbed a towel and proceeded to dry off the remaining water before dressing in my robes, grabbing my wand and heading back down stairs, to meet a still smirking Malfoy.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." The smirk still didn't leave his face, and I rolled my eyes.

I ripped open the portrait and walked briskly towards McGonagall's office, fully aware that Malfoy was following me. I shouted "Pixie sticks!" at the Griffin which leaped aside to let me climb the stairs where I pounded on the large wooden door and waited for McGonagall to answer.

"Do you always walk that fast?" he exclaimed, coming to a stand beside me. I rolled my eyes again.

"The door opened to reveal McGonagall with a somewhat shocked expression on her face.

"Please don't tell me that you have been arguing." She stated, looking at both of us sternly.

"I … we need to talk to you Professor." I said hurriedly. McGonagall nodded, and her gaze turned to one of slight suspicion as she waved us through the door and to the seats that we had occupied earlier today.

"Now, miss Granger what is it that you need to say?"

"Well…. Um…" I faltered, not knowing how to explain. I looked over to Malfoy with pleading eyes, he sighed then spoke.

"Professor, allow me to explain for Granger."

Malfoy then proceeded to explain our situation to McGonagall, adding in a few parts that he had exempted from his explanation to me in the common room. McGonagall sat in her chair with wide eyes and when Malfoy had finished she stayed there staring for the longest time. When she finally decided to speak she turned to me and I could detect a bit of pity in her eyes and also, I thought, a hint of amusement.

"Let me make sure that I heard and understand you correctly mr. Malfoy. You said that because of a spell you're mother put on you as a baby, resulted in you and Granger being married to each other. Am I correct?"

We nodded. McGonagall chuckled then and that's when I flipped.

"Are you just going to sit there, laughing and doing nothing or are you going to tell us a way to get out of this!" I almost yelled.

"I'm sorry miss Granger, or should I say Mrs. Malfoy." I fumed. "This spell hasn't been heard of for quite some time now But like Mr. Malfoy has said, it is irreversible, as well, you will not be able to separate through muggle divorce, since it is a magical marriage. I'm sorry but you and Mr. Malfoy will have to stay married."

I groaned and placed my head in my hands, then jolted suddenly as I remembered something very crucial yet undoubtedly very unpleasant. I turned to Malfoy, "How are we going to tell the school?" I asked panicking. McGonagall was the one to respond

"I think it would be best if the both of you were to pretend to be in love."

"What?!" We both said at the same time.

"It might help when you break the news to your class mates and perhaps soften the blow a little bit. Also it might answer their questions as to your choice of jewelry, Mrs. Malfoy."

"My what? I'm not wearing any jewelry professor." I said confused.

"Are you sure about that?" She asked me. "Maybe you should look down."

I did and froze when I saw the necklace that had somehow gotten to be around my neck. It was a curved silver serpent with ruby eyes and I stared at it confused then lifted my head to look at Malfoy, where I suddenly realized that he had one exactly the same as mine but the pendant was curved in the opposite direction and instead of rubies, there were emeralds.

"What are these?!" I asked him. "And why are we wearing them?"

He sighed and then leaned forward in his seat before turning his body to face me and speaking.

"They go along with the spell, you can sort of think of them as our wedding rings. They appeared when the spell took effect." I lifted my hands to the thin chain and groped around, trying to find the clasp.

"It's no use trying to find a clasp Granger, because there isn't one. And don't even try and break it either because it's charmed."

I began to feel faint, all this information was finally starting to sink in.

"Why don't you take her to the Great hall for dinner Mr. Malfoy and then to your dorm. The other students arrive tomorrow and I don't want either of you to be too tired to perform your head duties. I will let you two go now as I am sure that you both want to have some time to talk about this." McGonagall gave a slight smile in our direction and we rose out of our seats.

Just as I was about to turn the handle, McGonagall spoke again, "I think you two should also be aware of another part to this spell."

"What part?" I inquired suspiciously, turning back slightly to face McGonagall.

"The part that came into effect a half hour after your 'marriage', which by what you two have told me was about 10 minutes ago.

"What does it do?" I asked quietly.

"It's a three part bit that's a little hard to explain, you need to actually see and experience it for yourself. Suffice it to say that it is comprised of three smaller spells that take place to help the new couple, how should I say it? Get to know one another, if you will. Since this spell marries those who are 'perfect' for each other, they may not know each other at all, as a simple handshake between two strangers might have been the cause of the marriage."

I was suddenly very worried, and my hand started to shake on the knob.

"What are they professor?" Malfoy asked

"I cannot say, but the first has already gone into effect and is now waiting in your dorm room, this one is permanent. The second one will last for two weeks, and the third for only one week. Those two will take place one after the other and should start up in the next few days. Since you will be pretending that you are in love in public you will have to come up with an explanation as to the presence of the second two parts of the spell on your own. Please make it believable, for your own benefits."

McGonagall finished and stared at our pale faces. We stood there for a little while then somehow where able to unfreeze our selves. We nodded to her and exited her office, where we descended the stairs and headed to the Great hall for dinner.

Dinner was quiet and quick, and we finished at the same time. We hurried out of the Great hall, both dreading what we would find when we reached our dorm. We spoke the password to the princess who curtsied to us then stepped into the common room only to stop and stare in confusion.

"Nothing's changed." I said confused.

"I don't need you to tell me that mudblood, I have two perfectly working eyes for myself, thank you very much."

He strode past me and dropped onto one side of the sofa where he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. I glared at him and ascended the stairs, ready to, change into my pajamas, grab a book and jump in bed. I froze when I reached the hall way.

Instead of the two red and green doors there was a single mahogany coloured one. I walked slowly to the door, and with trembling hands placed my hand on the knob and turned it slowly, hoping against all hell that what was on the other side was not what I was thinking it was.

I opened the door and screamed.

"What now Granger?" Malfoy said, coming up the stairs and walking towards me where he looked into the room around my petrified body and froze as well.

"AH HELL NO! You've gotta be kidding me!"

I walked into the room staring around me silently. It was a bedroom, and the worst part, there was only one bed in it. The walls were a deep, warm chocolate brown colour, with golden accents. There were two desks on one side of the room (both Mahogany), and on the other were two dressers and another door which when investigated, turned out to be a walk-in closet even larger than the one in my room. The room its self was in no doubt larger than my previous one, and as I continued my silent ogling my eyes finally came to rest on the large king sized bed in the centre of the room. It was a mahogany, four poster with deep red silk hangings. It had silver, silk sheets with a red duvet comforter the same colour as the hangings. To make up for the slight lack of Slytherin colours, there was a deep green shag rug at the foot of the bed where on top of which, our two trunks lay side by side. I turned back to Malfoy.

"I guess this is what McGonagall was talking about." I said simply. Malfoy just nodded silently still staring at the room. A sudden smirk came over his face as he swept into the room and into the closet where he reemerged with a pillow and extra blanket. He gave one final smirk before tossing them at me. I caught them out of sheer reflex.

"What are you doing?"

"It's not what I am doing, but what you are doing. And what you are doing is sleeping on the couch."

"I will not! If anyone is going to sleep on the couch, Malfoy, it's going to be you!" I chucked the blanket and pillow back at him.

"I most certainly am not. I'm the superior, so you are going to be the one sleeping on the couch as I am definitely not sleeping on the bed with you."

"I'm just as stubborn as you Malfoy so you'd better give up and let me have the bed." I crossed my arms and tapped my foot glaring.

Malfoy seemed to struggle with himself slightly, then finally gave up, throwing his hands in the air and groaning. "Fine! We both use the bed, but you stay on your side and don't try anything."

He strode past me out of the room and I heard the shower turn on.

"As if I would even think of trying anything on you ferret!"

_**Now we both know that's not true.**_

_Ugh I don't have time for this! Why are you here?_

_**To annoy you some more while trying to make you realize just how much you like him.**_

_We've been through this. This is MALFOY we're talking about!_

_**True, but technically you can't call him that any more.**_

_What?!_

_**Well you are married to him, so now you're name is also Malfoy.!**_

_Ugh. Great. juuuuust great. _

_**It is. You are now Mrs. Hermione Malfoy.**_

_Please stop reminding me._

_**Why? Any other girl would kill, give up their eyeteeth, and give themselves permanent purple Mohawks if it insured that they would be in the position that you are in right now. Especially since you two now share a bed. **_The voice waggled its eyebrows suggestively.

_Eww. Stop it! Besides it won't change a thing._

_**Of course it will. You now have full legal, bragging rights. Just imaging the look on Pansy Parkinson's face when she finds out that you stole Draco right out from under her nose.**_ The voice giggled mischievously.

I smirked. _That is definitely something that I want to see._

_**Good then we've reached an agreement.**_

_Unfortunately, yeah._

_**Well then I guess I'll leave you be….for now. You and the ferret have fun now. Though not TOO much fun.**_ It smirked and giggled.

_Stop that!_

The voice departed with a final giggle, and I was left with myself. The shower water stopped running so I decided to change into my pajamas before HE returned. I grabbed my short silk nightgown, cursing my decision to leave my longer pajama pants and pajama t-shirt at home. It was light pink silk that was fairly low cut, and went down to mid thigh. There was a small row of black lace that edged the hem and neckline. I had been introduced to nighties over the summer and now there were several different ones that now occupied my small collection.

I had just finished tugging the hem line down a bit when I heard movement and a voice behind me.

"Well, Well Granger I must admit, I find your choice in sleep wear, quite interesting indeed." I turned to see him leaning against the door frame in only a black t-shirt and green boxers, smirking while looking up and down my body.

"Will you stop that?" I said crossing my arms over my chest self-consciously. At this action I noticed Malfoy had gone quiet and was now staring slightly open mouthed at my chest. I looked down and blushed as I realized that that action had resulted in my bust being pushed up. I lowered my hands and strode over to Malfoy who was still silent and staring. I snapped my fingers in his face.

"Hello? Cut that out!"

Malfoy snapped out of his apparent trance and lifted his gaze to mine. '_Again with the smirking?'_

"Just enjoying the view Granger." He stated simply shrugging his shoulders. "Even if it does belong to a mudblood such as yourself."

"Okay _Malfoy_, let's get a few things straight. Obviously neither of us wants to be in this situation but due to some unfortunate circumstances we are. Now it is going to be much pleasanter for both of us if we're not arguing all the time."

"What are you getting at Granger?"

"I'm getting at, I propose a truce."

"A truce?"

"Yes, a truce."

"You're out of your mind Granger." Malfoy sighed stepping around me to go and stand by the bed.

"Either we call a truce, or I make your life a living hell."

Malfoy laughed."And what could you possibly do to me?"

"I am a woman of many mysteries Malfoy, I have my ways. Not all of which involving spells and magic." I smirked back at him. Malfoy paled at my words. I reveled in his uncomfortableness.

"Fine Granger. Truce." He stuck out his hand and I shook it.

"Okay first things first. As much as I wish it weren't so I am now a Malfoy so that means that you can't call me Granger anymore, and being you're _loving_ wife," my voice dripping in sarcasm. "You will call me Hermione, you are not allowed to call me mudblood, bookworm, or any other demeaning name, got it?"

"Sure, but that means that you have to call me by my real name, not ferret boy, not Malfoy, because as you so kindly pointed out you are now a Malfoy as well. You will call me Draco.

"Fine."

"Fine. Now if you don't mind I want to go to sleep." I nodded in response and moved to the side of the bed opposite Mal.. Draco.

"one more thing." I added. Malfoy..Dammit. Draco groaned. "Because we are now married, as unfortunate as that is, there will be no cheating. We need to make this seem real and it won't be if there are constant rumours flying around Hogwarts that you are cheating on me with some Slytherin slut." To my surprise Draco laughed.

"Don't worry, my mother would kill me if I ever did that, and quite frankly if I were dead no one would be able to admire me and submit to my awesomeness." I rolled my eyes and got in my side of the bed, sitting up under the covers, '_always the Slytherin'_.

Draco moved away from the side of the bed and pulled the t-shirt over his head, baring his muscular shoulders and back. '_Damned Quiddich training.'_ I forced myself to look away but failed miserably.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting ready for bed. What does it look like?" he turned, giving me a full frontal view of his toned chest and abs. he wasn't extremely buff, however he was muscular enough to be extremely sexy looking. '_Whoa, whoa, where did that come from?'_

"Like what you see?" He said smirking.

"Not at all." I replied. "I was just wondering why you're going to be with only your boxers on?"

"Said the woman in the skimpy lingerie." Draco replied.

I tried to form a response but none came.

"Just go to sleep, We wouldn't want to scare away the first years with a zombie as a head girl."

He laid down and turned away from me.

"If you try anything Draco, so help me, I will charm you so bad that you will never have children ever, and you will be walking funny 'til next Christmas." I huffed in the dark. My only reply was a laugh and then silence. I laid down on the soft bed and turned so that my back was facing his.

_**Whoa, did you see his abs!"**_

_Ugh, yes I did. Now shush! I need my sleep_

_**That's it? That's all you're going to say?**_

_Yes_

_**You're unbelievable**_ the voice huffed. _**You get to sleep with that!**_

_Again. EWWW. I really don't want to think about that right now._

_**Well you're going to have to tomorrow.**_

_What do you mean?!_

_**When people find out that you two are married, all their going to want to know is Why? And what's the sex like?**_

_Dammit_

_**Yep. So you'd better come up with some good answers.**_

_Groan. Do you ever sleep?_

_**Nope. All I get to do is annoy you and drool.**_

_Drool?_

_**Have you seen you're gorgeous husband!?**_

_Gorgeous?! Yeeeaah. Not really._

_**You need to get your eyes checked.**_

_I need to get my head checked._

_**I heard that!**_

_Good! Now please go away, I need my sleep._

_**Fine I'll leave you to your thoughts.**_

_Thank you._

_**Just keep thinking about sexy, blonde Quiddich players and I'll be happy.**_

_Groan._

The voice giggled again, and then was silent. I slowly drifted off to sleep, dreading what was about to happen tomorrow.


	6. Epiphany

_**Sorry about the wait guys. Any way here's chapter six! Woo hoo!**_

Previous

_**Whoa, did you see his abs!"**_

_Ugh, yes I did. Now shush! I need my sleep_

_**That's it? That's all you're going to say?**_

_Yes_

_**You're unbelievable**_ the voice huffed. _**You get to sleep with that!**_

_Again. EWWW. I really don't want to think about that right now._

_**Well you're going to have to tomorrow.**_

_What do you mean?!_

_**When people find out that you two are married, all their going to want to know is Why? And what's the sex like?**_

_Dammit_

_**Yep. So you'd better come up with some good answers.**_

_Groan. Do you ever sleep?_

_**Nope. All I get to do is annoy you and drool.**_

_Drool?_

_**Have you seen you're gorgeous husband!?**_

_Gorgeous?! Yeeeaah. Not really._

_**You need to get your eyes checked.**_

_I need to get my head checked._

_**I heard that!**_

_Good! Now please go away, I need my sleep._

_**Fine I'll leave you to your thoughts.**_

_Thank you._

_**Just keep thinking about sexy, blonde Quiddich players and I'll be happy.**_

_Groan._

The voice giggled again, and then was silent. I slowly drifted off to sleep, dreading what was about to happen tomorrow.

Now

Chapter 6

Waking up, I noticed that I was a lot warmer than I should have been. Confused, I turned my head to see that Malfoy, darn, Draco had his arm around my waist. I sat up in bed, intending to go for a shower however his arm snaked back around my waist and pulled me back down where I was held tightly against his chest.

Panicking slightly, I tried to remove his arm from my waist but he was too strong, and so I finally gave up.

"Malfoy!" No response. "Draco!" He pulled me tighter (if that was even possible) and groaned slightly. '_How can he be that heavy a sleeper?' _I wondered silently to myself.

An idea suddenly came to mind and I grinned evilly, before shouting, "Malfoy, wake up! Pansy's in our room, she looks pissed and is threatening to castrate you if you don't wake up right now!"

That seemed to do it. His grip on my waist was suddenly non-existent, and I looked to see that he had tripped in his haste to defend himself against the non-existent Pansy and was currently sitting on the floor, a shocked look on his face. I couldn't help myself and started to laugh clutching my sides as I walked over to his side of the bed and looked down at him.

Draco looked around, and realizing that Pansy was not in the room after all he turned his gaze back to me and sneered. "That was not funny."

"Yeah, actually it was." I said, still laughing. He picked himself off of the floor and walked over to stand in front of me, in all his boxer-clad glory.

"What did you do that for?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Well I had to suffer through waking up to your arm not letting me get out of bed, so I think that making you suffer through the idea of being castrated by Pansy to be a fair trade." I smirked back at him. When I had mentioned the part of his arm being around me he had blushed slightly then covered it quickly with his trade mark smirk to match mine. '_Whoa, a Malfoy blushing?!'_

"And let me tell you _Draco_ if that happens again, there will be no more threats, and I will carry out that promise that I made to you last night." He didn't move but continued to smirk, staring at me until I turned and left through the bedroom door fuming.

**Draco's POV**

After Hermione had left I busied myself with getting dressed. When she had said that my arm was around her I was a little bit embarrassed. I wasn't supposed to like her, she was a muggle born, and I was just a hormonal male teenager that was all there was to it.

Even though I had been asleep I could still feel where my arm had touched her slim, silk-clad waist, and as much as I didn't want to say it, it felt good. As well, I had to admit it, she looked pretty cute when she was angry, '_Wait. Cute? Whoa Draco get a hold of yourself.'_ I shook those thoughts from my mind as I pulled on my Slytherin tie, shoes, cloak, and then strode out of the walk in closet where I stopped dead in my tracks, my mouth went dry.

Standing in the doorway was Hermione; however she was clad in only a small white towel, and the only thing that came to mind at that moment was 'wow'. I may not like her but I was still male. Her hair was wet and so there were small water droplets sliding down her smooth skin and disappearing beneath the towel. And her legs, they looked like they went on for days.

She was slightly turned away from me and apparently didn't notice me entering the room and staring (of which I was most grateful), she spoke blushing slightly, it was beautiful, '_Dammit'_

"Umm, I forgot to bring clothes with me. Sorry" She blushed again before going to her dresser to get undergarments, dropping her night gown on the bed and hurrying past me into the walk-in closet, whereupon she closed the door behind her leaving me outside to compose my face before she suspected that I was staring.

'_This was going to be a long day.'_

**Hermione's POV**

After I was thoroughly embarrassed at being seen in a towel by Draco, I got dressed quickly and headed down to breakfast, thankful that I didn't have to confront Draco in the common room.

Draco wasn't in the Great hall so I was able to eat breakfast in relative peace. After words I grabbed another book from The Head room and walked out to the lake where I sat down beneath a tree and began to read.

About a half hour had passed before I was aware of an owl approaching my spot, and dropping a letter in my lap before flying back in the direction of the school owlery. Curious, I picked it up and unfolded it.

_Hermione,_

_Please meet me in the common room, as soon as possible._

_Draco_

It was curiosity more than anything that made me stand up, brush myself off and head back inside the school.

The Prince and princess were still glaring at each other when I approached the portrait but the princess stopped just long enough to smile and curtsy in my direction and admit me when I spoke the password.

Inside the common room Draco was sitting on the couch staring into the fire place. In one hand he held a letter and the other was busy twirling a small dark something between his fingers. When he heard the portrait close he turned to me and stood, then slowly walked over to stand in front of me.

"What do you want Draco?"

"Tsk, tsk, is that anyway to talk to your husband?" he said chuckling slightly when I rolled my eyes.

"Just spit it out already."

"Okay then, early this morning I wrote to my mother to tell her what happened, and just now I got her reply."

"What?! You told her?!"

"Yes I did, and you're going to have to owl your parents as well by the way."

"Shoot." He smirked.

"Now can I please finish?" I nodded reluctantly.

"Alright, well my mother wrote back her congratulations and judging by the words she used, I think she was silently hoping that it was going to be you."

"She was?! But I'm muggleborn."

"My mother never truly believed in the whole pureblood superiority ideal. Now shush." I did blushing slightly. I was cheering silently inside; if his mother liked me then maybe this wouldn't be too bad after all. Draco continued.

"My mother also wrote, to invite you to Christmas which I know is months away but we're still going, and to tell me to give you these." He raised his hand and shook a small black box under my nose. I took it from him, opened it and gasped. Inside were three rings, an engagement ring and two wedding bands (one for me and one for Draco), they were beautiful.

The Engagement ring was silver with a leaf pattern etched into the side, and had a white snowflake cut diamond (picture of diamond on my profile) set in it flagged by a ruby on each end. It was beautiful. The wedding band was the exact same except without the jewels, and Draco's was slightly larger and wider. I brought my eyes up to his questioningly.

"Apparently my mother thought that the necklaces weren't enough so she sent me these. And to tell the truth, I'm glad that she did, wearing these is going to make this whole marriage thing seem a bit more real and believable to everyone, right?"

My only response was an open mouthed nod. He chuckled, then took the box from my hands and removed the rings. He then took my left hand in his and slid on first the engagement ring, and then the wedding band.

"They're charmed to never break and to never come off, so no one can steal them and we can't lose them. So….Do you want to put mine on or should I do it?"

"Umm... I...I...I'll do it." I said, stuttering, still in shock. He chuckled again. I took the band from his outstretched hand and slid it onto his left ring finger.

"There." He said examining it. "Now we can fool just about anyone."

I don't exactly recall how the next few hours passed but they did, and soon, I was standing with Professor McGonagall and Draco on the front steps to the school awaiting the arrival of the other students. I had already asked Prof. McGonagall to announce our marriage in front of the school after we had been called up. I had asked her to do this to preserve my own sanity, Draco had agreed to it just so that he could see everyone's reaction at the same time.

Waiting for the carriages to pull up I rubbed my gloved hands together, trying to warm them slightly. I had chosen to wear gloves for three reasons. One, it was bloody cold outside right now, even without any snow. Two, I didn't want my friends to see my new rings before I was ready to tell them, and Three, it was bloody cold outside.

All too soon the carriages arrived with the students and Draco and I went inside with them, leaving McGonagall to herd in the first years. Draco and I parted then and I craned my neck looking for my friends. I was slowly being pushed into the great Hall by the flow of students when a pair of strong arms wrapped around me and lifted me up from behind into a bone crushing hug.

"Hermione!" I was set down and turned to face one of my best friends, Harry Potter.

"Oh I'm so glad to see you!"

"Me to Mione, Wow, you look great!"

"Thanks Harry. You too. So where's Ro..."

"Mione!" I was yet again tackled from behind as my other best friend gave me a hug as well. He set me down and we went to find seats in the Great hall, we found some next to Ginny, who jumped up and hugged me before sitting me down beside her, Ron on my right side, and Harry on her left.

"Wow Mione you look awesome!"

"Thanks Ginny, you too."

"Doesn't she look good Ron?"

"Umm …Yeah, she does." Ron said softly, and I thought I saw him blush slightly before he turned his head away. At that moment McGonagall walked in with the frightened looking first years. Ginny turned back to me.

"He's been talking about you all summer." Ginny told me in a whisper. "I think he likes you, even though he won't admit it." She added with a giggle. I grinned back awkwardly.

"Ginny!" Ron had obviously been listening in.

"Don't worry Ron, It's all right."

He smiled slightly before replying. "Umm, well actually, I've been wondering if you would… I mean you don't have to, but umm… Would you like to go out with me?"

I sat there in a stunned silence, not knowing how to answer. This was really not how I wanted everyone to find out. Ron seemed to take my silent pause as a rejection.

"It's okay,… you don't want to…. I understand." He said sadly turning away from me."

"No, it's not that Ron…"

"So you will?" he asked hopefully.

"No, I just mean that…"

"May I have everyone's attention please?"

_Whew, saved by the teacher_. I turned awkwardly away from Ron to watch McGonagall. Obviously the sorting was already done as the group of first years had disappeared and the sorting hat was being carried away.

"I would like to introduce our two head's this year. Miss Hermione of Gryffindor," I was silently glad that she didn't use my new, recently acquired last name. Everyone clapped, with Gryffindor's the loudest as I stood and walked up to the front. Only a few Slytherins clapped though, Draco among them. I had already told my friends about being head girl so this wasn't a surprise for them, but they were still among the loudest in the Great hall.

"Yes yes, and our Head boy is Draco Malfoy of Slytherin." Deafening noise came from the Slytherin table, as he stood and made his way up to the front to stand beside me and McGonagall. The only non-Slytherin clappers in the room were Mrs. Malfoy wannabees, namely all the females in Hogwarts who thought Draco was hot, which was almost all of them. I clapped simply out of respect and because, as much as I tried to deny it, he was my husband, (though no one else knew that). '_Not for long.'_

McGonagall looked over to me, askingly. I nodded to her, confirming. Draco mirrored my nod when McGonagall turned to him. McGonagall turned back to face everyone else and raised a hand until the noise stopped.

"Yes, thank you. Now, I have another announcement to make." I took a deep breath. "These two students also, came together this summer after the war and proved that inter house unity can be achieved. I am pleased and honoured to present to you now, the newly wedded, Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy."

While McGonagall was speaking, Draco had slid his arm around my waist affectionately (though I knew as well as he did that it was just for show).

THUMP. Neville had fainted. When I turned to Draco he had obviously seen this as he was wearing a huge smile on his face. Glancing up slightly I saw Ginny and Harry both with open mouth looks of shock on their faces, and then Ron who was slowly turning beet red and a slight angry glare of betrayal with a hint of embarrassment in his eyes.

At that moment a shriek could be heard from the Slytherin table, so I turned, only to grin at the sight of Pansy being held back by four people, trying to prevent her from attacking us. I caught her eye and grinned in a most Slytherinesque way in spite of myself. At this she gave one last struggle then slumped to the table in a heap of loud wails.

Suddenly, a faint sound could be heard and I couldn't place where it came from, but slowly it grew in volume until most of the people in the Great Hall had joined in as well. It was the sound of utensils being hit against goblets, and the colour drained from my face as I realized what that meant.

Turning to Draco I was met with an amused smirk before he grabbed my hand, spinning me to his other side and dropped me into a dip, holding me very close to him.

"Come here Mrs. Malfoy." He said, a mischievous glint in his eye. His hand was brought up to capture my cheek, he leaned forward, and I could feel his warm breath tickling me before his lips met mine.

The kiss was supposed to be short but short it definitely was not. At the moment his lips met mine, I completely forgot that I was supposed to hate him, and instead melted into it. For some reason I had expected him to have hard, cold lips but instead they were soft, warm, and inviting.

I raised my free hand to cup his neck as I continued to melt into his arms, and kiss him back my knees going weak.

Behind me I heard McGonagall clear her throat, and the moment was stopped, all too soon. I blushed as Draco pulled me back up amid loud cheers and wolf whistles.

I started to head back to my seat but I was stopped by a strong hand on my arm. Draco pulled my ear to his mouth whispering, "Now that wasn't so bad was it? I don't know about you but I rather enjoyed it."

I blushed then replied softly, "I…I liked it as well."

He grinned before giving me a small peck on the lips, and freeing my arm, whereupon we both walked back to our tables. Ron's face had gotten darker and he looked about ready to throw something.

"Well it has been an exciting start to the year thus far, so without further delay, let the feast begin."

Food appeared on our plates and I was immediately bombarded with questions from all sides. Ginny however got to me first.

"Why didn't you tell us?!" It was time to put my acting skills to the test.

"Well, um Draco and I got together right after the war. He had switched sides during it. We talked, and he asked me out. We found out that we were in love soon later, so he asked me to marry him, and since we were both of age, I said yes. I guess we're just meant for each other. It was a small wedding, I wanted you to be there, but it was family only."

"Awe, how romantic!"

Several girls nearby who had heard sighed as well.

"Did you see Pansy's reaction, When McGonagall announced it?"

I nodded my head, smiling. "It was priceless."

Ginny was suddenly silent and staring at my hand. I had taken off my gloves and my rings were now visible.

"Oh my god Hermione, they're beautiful! Wow."

I blushed slightly and muttered thanks. I sensed Ron tense even more next to me.

"You are so lucky! So what's it like being married to Malfoy?"

"It's Draco, Ginny. I'm now a Malfoy as well."

"Right Sorry, but are you going to answer!?"

"Umm yes but not here. Tomorrow, okay? I'll meet you out at the oak tree beside the lake, after classes."

"Okay." Seeming satisfied with my answer she turned back to her food, I could tell that she was buzzing with many questions but thankfully she kept them to herself. I would answer them tomorrow.

The main course finished, and the puddings appeared on the tables. I took a slice of Lemon Meringue pie and a warm Chocolate chip cookie.

I finished before most of the others at my table so I said good night to my friends and exited the Great Hall. I hadn't made it far before I heard someone call my name. I turned to find Ron running to catch up with me.

"Why didn't you say anything!?" Ron exclaimed, running up and cutting in front of me to block the Grand Staircase.

"Because I knew that you guys wouldn't accept him even if I did."

"Hell yeah! Why did you have to go and marry him Mione?! We hate him! And you knew I liked you, but you didn't even give me a chance!"

"No I didn't know that Ronald! I gave up on you years ago so don't even think that I'm going to come running to you! I love Draco and it's going to stay that way!"

I was yelling now as well, and then I noticed Ron staring at something over my shoulder, his eyes looking no less than murderous.

"Why thank you darling." Draco said coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Stay away from her Malfoy!"

"Which one?" We both answered at the same time.

"Arrgh Just don't touch her!"

"Now why would I do that, when this beautiful creature here is married to me?" Ron's look darkened. I stared up at Draco slightly open mouthed, but quickly covered it with a smile just in time.

"Now if you would excuse us, Hermione and I are tired, so we will be leaving now. Good night."

Ron shot one last look in my direction then stomped back into the Great Hall. Neither of us said anything as Draco led us to our common room. I was the first one to speak after the portrait had closed behind us.

"Thanks for that." I said almost hesitantly.

"For what?"

"Defending me. It probably took a lot of acting skills to call me beautiful like that."

Draco turned to me and drew me to him for the second time that night. "Who's saying that I was acting? Maybe I really do think that you're beautiful. Did you ever think of that?"

"Um… well…not really." Draco's response was a small kiss. Small, but one that shot shivers down my spine. He then brought his lips to my ear and I could feel his warm breath on my neck.

"Well then maybe you should start. Oh and by the way, that smirk you threw Pansy tonight, may I say that was very Slytherin of you, and very sexy as well I might add."

I stood there shocked as Draco left me in the common room, and it wasn't until I heard the shower running that I went upstairs, and changed into another of my short night gowns. Sapphire blue, this time with silver lace, and got into my side of the bed.

'_Why didn't I pack different pajamas?'_

'_**Because maybe subconsciously you knew that you would need them this year.'**_

'_What do you mean?'_

'_**Hello?! Hot, Sexy, blonde, Slytherin husband!'**_

'_groan'_

'_**Don't deny it, you're starting to like him.'**_

'_What!? Like him? No way'_

'_**Well, your reaction to his kissing says otherwise.'**_

'_You're never going to let this go are you?'_

'_**Nope, never.'**_

'_I was afraid you might say that.'_

'_**So what's it going to be? Do you like him or not?'**_

'_Well…I…I…I guess, yeah.'_

'_**Hallelujah! O joy! O great jubilation! She has finally admitted it!'**_ the voice laughed.

'_Shut up.'_

'_**Nope, not going to happen… Sooo, watcha going to do with this epiphany? Are you going to tell him?'**_

'_Hell no! He doesn't feel the same way. He'll probably just laugh in my face.'_

'_**How do you know that? Maybe he likes you too.'**_

'_Ha! Like that'll ever happen.'_

_**Who knows, stranger things have happened at Hogwarts.'**_

'_True. But I won't get my hopes up just yet.'_

'_**yet**__** being the key word in this sentence.'**_

The voice left me to ponder my thoughts, but finally I fell asleep.

**Draco's POV**

_I need a shower. A long, cold, shower._ So I thought as I locked the door of the bathroom behind me, and undressed. I stepped into the shower stall and let the water wash over me as I thought about the recent events.

I had only agreed to have McGonagall announce our marriage in front of the school because I wanted to witness first-hand, the ultimate affects, and reactions of the other students when they found out that Hermione and I were married. It was just going to be for my personal amusement.

However, seeing that smirk that Hermione threw at Pansy. That wonderfully, Slytherin smirk. Well let's just say that I became very turned on at that point. And then seeing the shock and fear in her eyes when she realized that we would have to kiss in front of the school, that was utterly priceless. And who knew that she could kiss so well.

_Wait. What am I thinking here?_

_**I think. That someone has a crush.**_

_What? Who is this?_

_**I 'm the little voice inside your head.**_

_The what?_

_**I'm your inner self. The same inner self that's trying to make you realize just how much you like her.**_

_But I don't…_

_**Don't lie to me. I live inside your head. I know all, I see all.**_

_That's just creepy._

_**Technically, I'm you, so you would just be insulting yourself.**_

_Point taken, and what do you mean? There is no way that I could possibly like her._

_**I've seen the way you look at her behind her back, and what about third year, hm? Meesa thinks that I sensed a wee change in your feelings for the girl right after she punched you.**_ The voice said in an almost critical way, with a hint of amusement. I subconsciously raised my hand to my jaw where she had hit me, and smiled slightly.

_I did start to respect her a bit more, after that, _

_**What do you mean by 'a bit of respect' After that punch you went into full on crush mode.**_

_Grrr, fine I did, but it doesn't make any difference. I'm a pureblood, she's a muggleborn, and we're not supposed to even be together._

_**What about your mother? She is just as much a pureblood as you are, and yet she doesn't discriminate.**_

_Do you have to be right?_

_**Yup.**_

_Dammit._

_**Admit it you enjoyed kissing her. You like her, and not just as a friend.**_

_I guess you're right._

_**So when are you going to tell your wife about these newfound feelings of yours.**_

_Never._

_**What?! Why?**_

_Because she hates me. She would probably laugh in my face and then punch me again if I told her that._

_**Stranger things happen every day in the wizarding and muggle worlds, who knows, she may like you as well.**_

_Ha! As if._

_**Well, if you think that so much, come up with a way to win her over. Make her like you if she doesn't already.**_

_You're a determined little bugger aren't you?___

_**Yup. And proud of it. **_The voice laughed, and I rolled my eyes.

_But what if it doesn't work and she ends up hating me even more?_

_**Let me remind you of Azeem, from Robin Hood Prince of Thieves **_(awesome movie by the way!) _** Who said "There are no perfect men in this world, only perfect intentions."**_

_Damn you. I guess I'll try._

_**Good. You might be surprised with the results.**_

So saying this, the voice left me alone and I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist. I performed a simple drying spell before putting my boxers on and walking out of the bathroom and into the bedroom that I now shared with Hermione.

Apparently she had fallen asleep before turning the lights off, so I was able to see her there clearly, lying on her side, hair splayed across the pillow. I don't know why but I just stood there silently and watched her sleep until she snapped me out of it by sighing and moving slightly under the covers, whereupon I got a brief flash of a sapphire blue nightgown with silver lacing. I silently thanked all the forces known and unknown that had been responsible for Hermione packing those nighties.

With a wave of my wand, I turned off the lights. Then I closed the door, placed my wand on the bedside table and lay down under the covers facing Hermione's back. I felt myself do a sharp intake of breath as Hermione turned to face me in her sleep and threw an arm over me. I smiled then brought my hand up to her face and stroked her cheek softly, smiling when that action rewarded me with a sigh and a small smile from Hermione. I admitted it. She looked like an angel.

"Good night." I said before I wrapped an arm around her waist. My last thought before I fell asleep was.

'_Darn you Hermione, you're making me go soft.'_


	7. Awakening

Chapter 7

**Draco's POV**

Next morning I woke up before Hermione, got dressed then, made my way back over to the bed.

Normally I wouldn't have gone out of my way to help someone else, but it was the first day of class we were already running late, and Hermione would kill me if she was late for class on the first day. I tried waking her several times then got an idea.

I went over to my side of the bed and got back under the covers, where I grabbed her waist and pulled her in close. She responded by sighing, turning to me and draping a leg over both of mine in a possessive sort of way. My breath hitched in my throat.

Grinning evilly, I started running my hand slowly up and down her side and placing small kisses on her face. It was a few minutes before she opened her eyes and stared at me confusedly. Her next response told me that she had finally realized just who was lying in front of her.

"AHHHHHHHH!" She jumped back and landed on the floor by her side of the bed.

"Why did you do that!"

I shrugged laughing, "It was fun." She glared at me, then after a few minutes she blushed slightly. Slightly, but I still saw it.

"Soo, Umm, are you going to get dressed or not. Class starts in half an hour."

"What! Why didn't you wake me?!"

"I just did."

"You know what I mean?!"

I watched amused as I sat there, seeing her hopping out of the walk-in closet on one foot, trying to put a sock on, then on the other foot, while trying to do up her shoe. Then she did something unexpected and grabbed my hand, dragging both of us out of the bedroom and down the stairs, stopping only to grab our book bags from the floor beside the couch.

"Umm can I have my hand back?"

"Oh. Right. Sorry." She dropped my hand blushing, and I wanted to tell her just how un-sorry she should be, but held myself back. I responded simply,

"Let's go." She nodded, and we left the common room, book bags in hand, wondering what the day was going to throw at us. I grinned.

'_This was going to be fun.'_

**Hermione's POV**

'_Finally, _it's_ over!' _ I exclaimed to myself dropping my book bag at the foot of the couch and flopping down on the cushions, but not before taking off my robe, loosening my tie and undoing the first two buttons of my white shirt. I had just got back from my first day of classes and was currently in desperate need of comfort food right now. I stretched out over the length of the couch and closed my eyes.

**Flashback**

In the distance I saw that Ginny had already arrived at the tree, so I walked over and sat beside her.

"Hey Ginny how are you?"

"Don't even try and dodge me Hermione, you know why I'm here." Ginny smiled at me, sitting up on her knees and leaning in slightly towards me. "Spill."

"What do you want to know?" I asked her; somewhat afraid of what she wanted to know about.

"You know! What made you marry him? What was the wedding like? Is he great in bed?" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Ginny!"

"What?! I want to know." She replied with a mischievous grin. "Tell me everything!"

"Well first, I married him because, as I said last night, Draco turned to the light side during the war. I found out about this when he saved my life, by pushing me out of the way of an oncoming spell. Afterwards he asked me to meet him in secret to explain, and so I did. He told me that he had secretly liked me for some time and so he asked me out. I only said yes because I was still in shock. We dated for the first two months of summer and then realized that we were in love and we were meant for each other. He proposed at the beginning of August, and since we were both of age, I said yes, 'obviously,' and we were married two weeks later."

I was surprised hearing myself tell this story. I was getting better and better at the whole lying thing.

Ginny sighed. "That's so romantic!" I laughed on the inside (Romantic? Yeah right. One can hardly call this marriage a romantic one. After all, it was the result of a slap in the bathroom while I was in my robe having been rudely awakened from a relaxing bath.).

"Alright, alright, are you going to let me finish?"

"Right, sorry." Ginny blushed a little and I giggled.

"Okay, now before you ask again, we didn't tell you guys because we knew that you still hated him, and we got married so quickly because we didn't want anything or anyone to try and get between us. The wedding itself, was just a small backyard wedding, family only. Or else I would have invited you Ginny." I tried to give my best apologetic smile that I could to her.

"I know. Thanks." Ginny gave me another small grin.

"Now, as for your third question, do you really think that I'm going to give you the intimate details of our personal life?" '_Ha! Like there are any of those.'_

"So you have…" She started grinning.

"I didn't say anything!"

"But it was implied!"

"Arrgh! Ginny!"

"Fine, Fine. I'll stop…For now." Ginny said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. I rolled mine, and groaned.

"Alright, so if you're done, I have a mountain of homework to deal with, so I'll be heading back to my dorm." I said standing up and brushing myself off. Ginny looked up at me seemingly amused.

"Uh huh, sure."

"What's that supposed to mean!"

"Oh, umm, nothing." She smirked. "You go have fun with your…um…homework… Just not too much fun now."

"Ginny!!"

I walked away towards the castle, blushing furiously as I faintly heard Ginny back at the tree, laughing. Her last phrase ringing in quite a familiar tone inside my head.

**End Flashback**

**Draco's POV**

After I heard the portrait door close I had crept down the stairs to see no one in the room. It was odd, because I saw her robe draped over one of the armchairs and her book bag on the floor leaning against one end of the couch. Confused, I walked down the remaining steps and went over towards the couch where I gasped slightly as I saw her lying there.

My hormones kicked into overdrive as I sat down on the armchair closest to the couch and that's where I was now, watching her. I figured she was sleeping as she hadn't stirred when I came over. The sun was just setting and its rays came in through the window and fell over the sleeping girl, the light from the fire, as well, was dancing across her closed eyelids. She looked beautiful. The loose tie and shirt only added to the full effect.

'_**Are you just going to sit there or are you going to do something Casanova?**__'_

'_Who?'_

'_**a muggle… never mind. Why don't you wake her up?'**_

'_Why? Because…well…'_

'_**You like looking at her like this don't you?'**_

'_If you mean when she's sleeping, and not awake to criticize and wonder at why I'm staring at her then yes.'_

'_**So are you going to put your plan to action?'**_

'_I don't know how to start.'_

'_**Well I would suggest waking her up and talking to her.'**_

'_About what?'_

'_**Ask her how her day went, that's a start.'**_

'_Alright, if you insist.'_

'_**Oh, I do. Now go, Romeo, Go!'**_

I made a small laugh before standing up and going to crouch beside Hermione's head.

"Hermione, wake up." No response.

"Hermione!" Still no response. Then I got an evil idea as I remembered my awakening yesterday morning. And the fun I had had with this morning's wake-up call and decided to get another bout of revenge.

Hermione ! Wake up! Potter and Weasly are dancing naked in front of the fireplace!"

"WHAT!?" Hermione bolted upright then tripped in her haste and landed face down on the rug. I couldn't help myself, and started to laugh, then I saw the dark look she gave me and offered her a helping hand which she took with a somewhat surprised look on her face. We both sat back on the couch, and Hermione spoke.

**Hermione POV**

"What did you do that for?!" I half yelled at him, seething at his amused grin.

"Because you are a damn heavy sleeper, and because it's still fun." He laughed from his end of the couch.

'Okay. Since I'm awake now, what do you want?" I crossed my arms and leaned my back against the armrest on my half of the couch, my socked feet curled up underneath me. Draco shrugged before answering simply,

"How was your day?"

"What?"

"How. Was. Your. Day?"

"I know what you said. I'm just wondering why?"

"Cant a man ask his wife how her day went?"

"I don't see any man here."

"Ouch. That hurt." He said clutching the left side of his chest in a clear display of mock hurt. I rolled my eyes.

"Why do you want to know how my day went?"

"Because It's about two hours until dinnertime and I have nothing else to do. Besides, maybe I actually want to know what your day was like."

I quirked a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Hermione, just humor me. Please."

"Fine. What do you want to know?"

"How were classes?"

"Pretty average. We both have the same ones so you know what they're like already. Anything else."

"Yes actually. Tell me. Were there any new reactions among the students about our _glorious_ nuptials."

Damn. I blushed as I remembered several of the questions that I had been asked today.

"Oooh! I got a blush! This is going to be good!" Draco exclaimed grinning evilly.

"Shut up."

"So tell me, what was asked today that would elicit such a response from you?"

I groaned before speaking. "Well, today's questions can probably be divided into three main groups."

"Pray tell."

"First, are the hopeless romantics. They were the ones offering numerous congratulations and forcing me to fabricate the minutest details about the wedding. Their questions were ones like, Was it love at first sight? How did he propose? And 'Oh! Getting married while still in school! How romantic!'" I faked a high voice for that last one and Draco laughed.

"So what did you say?"

"I lied of course. Obviously my answers were satisfactory enough because they were all sighing and saying how lucky I was as I was walking away."

"Wow. Wish I could've been there for that." He said chuckling.

"Believe me, no you don't. Talking with that group for more than ten seconds would have any male running to the nearest quidditch store in an attempt to regain his manliness." I laughed, Draco did to.

"That bad huh?" I shivered."So what's the second category of questions?"

"That would be the bitches."

"The bitches?" he raised an eyebtrow

"Yep. They were the ones who glared at me during class and cornered me in the halls, demanding to know why I stole you from them and prevented them from having a turn with you."

"A turn with me?"

"Yeah. I also got 5 jeers, 4 stuck out tongues and 6 notes."

"You were counting?"

"That's not all, I also got about 20 threats of 'He'll realize that I'm the perfect woman for him then he'll dump you', spiels." We both laughed at this.

"Don't they realize that polygamy is against the law?"

"Probably not."

"So, how did you react to all of this?" Draco smirked, clearly amused.

'Well…" I blushed. Draco sat up a little straighter at this.

"Umm… well… It's possible that I could have '_accidentally'_ dropped my books and angled my hands while picking them up in such a way that they could clearly see the rings."

"Really?" Draco's grin broadened. "And?..."

**Flashback**

"Granger!"

I heard someone yell as a walked out of the classroom. I didn't turn around.

"Oi! Granger!" I felt the person's hand clamp down on my shoulder and I spun around preparing to fight if I needed to.

"Just who are you talking to?!" I half- yelled at the girl. A dark haired Ravenclaw.

"You of course!"

"Well my name isn't Granger anymore its Malfoy, so I would appreciate it if you would call me that."

"Absolutely not. Besides, Draco is mine!" The girl said glaring at me as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"And what makes you think that?" I glared back. I'd had a long day, I didn't need this now.

"Because. We're meant to be. Why did you have to be so selfish. If I'd had a chance with him, he would never have married you!"

"You think so."

"I know so."

"Really? That's funny. 'cause he had six years of time to ask you out but he didn't. And now, look here, wow I have his ring."

I flashed my hand in front of her face and made another Slytherinesque smirk at her (my second now in two days), she turned and stormed away in furious tears. I knew this behaviour wasn't me but I was so fed up with all of these girls right now and I was just about ready to crack. I walked away smiling from the crowd that had gathered to witness the showdown, and went outside to where Ginny was waiting under the big oak tree.

**End flashback**

I had finished narrating the encounter and by now Draco was shaking in laughter.

"Wow little Gryffindor Hermione. I would have never thought that you had it in you."

"Truth be told, neither did I." I laughed back.

"I must be rubbing off on you."

"I thought back to the kiss, '_more than you know it.'_

"Unfortunately yeah."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Hmmm… Okay, so What's this third category?" he crossed his legs under him and mirrored my position on the couch. At these words I blushed. I blushed very deeply indeed.

"Ohhh, this is going to be good!"

"Please don't make me!"

"Sorry too late." He grinned evilly.

"Damn."

"What was that my dear?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Umm well… I call this next group, the disturbed ones."

He chuckled. "Why?"

"_Theyweretheoneswhowantedtoaskmequestionsaboutthesex_."

"What, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you there." Draco leaned forward. I blushed even more.

"They were the ones who wanted to ask me questions about the sex."

"Oh. Really like what?" It was official. He enjoyed watching me die from embarrassment.

"Like..um… (clears throat) Is he great in bed? Did you only marry him for the sex? And, What's it like? Give us every detail."

Draco was trying to hold in his laughter. "So, I wonder how you responded to that one?"

I blushed, and he saw it. "You didn't?! Oh this is too good!"

"No! Of course not! I didn't say anything!"

"Then why the blush?"

"ummm…"

"I'm waiting."

"Well, I couldn't say that I was still a virgin, I mean were married for crying out loud, were supposed to be doing …married people things. And if I said that we hadn't actually done…it…yet then there is going to be even more suspicion flying around. More than We need."

"I see." He said again, clearly amused. "So what did you tell them, then?"

"well, it's more of what I did really."

He quirked his eyebrows at me. "What did you do then?"

**Flashback**

"Come on Hermione! Tell us!" they were following me around like puppies, and I had a sudden memory flash of Mike Newton from Twilight. I called them the 'Disturbed ones'.

"Why do you want to know!" I spun around and stared at the group of seven or so girls.

"Please! Just tell us! Were not married to him so you're our next best thing. Please!"

I couldn't believe this. How could so many people be so disturbed.

_Maybe I could have some fun with them first_

_**What do you have in mind?**_

_Oh I don't know. Maybe a little mind game._

_**I'm beginning to like the way your mind works. You go girl!**_

_Thanks Minnie me._

_**Minnie me? Hmmm. I like it. Its catchy. Now are you going to do it or not.**_

_Absolutely._ I grinned evilly and turned to face the girls.

"Sooo, are you going to tell us?"

"I really don't think that I should tell you about what happens between my husband and I in our spare time." I said shrugging.

The girls gasped and giggled among themselves before turning back to me. I merely waggled my eyebrows suggestively and smirked in their direction, before turning around and heading towards my next class, leaving a somewhat stunned, yet furiously giggling band of girls in my wake.

**End Flashback**

During this narrative I had left out the part of my inner voice. No need to make him think that I was more insane than he already did.

I raised my eyes to Draco's. He was staring at me in clear openmouthed shock.

"What?" I asked.

I got no verbal response from him, however I did notice a strange glint in his eyes and before I could stand up and escape, I found myself pinned on my back by Draco. I lay there confused, staring up at him. He spoke.

"So, the Gryffindor has a wild side after all."

"I…I guess." I shrugged. Or tried to at least.

"I think I'm rubbing off on you more than I thought." Draco grinned down at me. He leaned down and placed his lips near my ears. I could feel him warm breath on my neck and it sent shivers down my spine. "And truthfully Hermione, I like it."

Somehow I managed to find my voice. "Draco, did we just manage to have a real conversation?"

"I guess we did." I saw his grin, a fraction of a second before I felt his lips on mine. I gasped slightly then saw fireworks, and I melted into the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck. He brought his hand to my waist, and continued to kiss me.

All too soon though I was brought back to reality as Draco pulled away, stood up, straightened out his shirt and then bent back down to my ear.

"Until next time then Hermione." He said seductively, before straightening up and leaving through the portrait hole for dinner.

I was left lying there dazed. I didn't know what would happen to me if I saw him in the great hall right now so I decided to eat dinner in the common room.

'_Dinner first, cold shower later.'_

My inner voice just nodded.

**Later**

I exited the shower, performed a quick drying spell, then changed into another nighty, scarlet red this time with gold lace. '_Always the Gryffindor.'_

I got in my side of the bed and had just turned out the light when I heard the door open and saw Draco's silhouette as he walked into the room. I pretended to be asleep, and even though it was dark I still shut my eyes as he stripped down to his boxers, then tensed slightly as he got in his side of the bed.

It was at least two hours before I could fall asleep.

**Next morning**

I n order to prevent another rude awakening, I had charmed my wand to buzz noisily at the right time every morning. I groaned and turned to face my bedside table and lazily, reached a hand out from under the covers and grabbed my wand, which ceased buzzing immediately when my hand touched it.

I yawned then swung my legs out then tried to stand up quickly in an attempt at being the first in the bathroom. I say tried because as soon as I tried to stand up I felt a jerk around my waist then a heavy something (make that someone) colliding with my front as I turned around, and then proceeded to knock us both to the ground, I felt the air leave my lungs as Draco landed on top of me with a heavy grunt.

"Draco! What the…"

"Always the Gryffindor, huh Hermione?" Draco said his eyes aimed downward. I waved my hand in front of his face.

"Yoo hoo, Draco My face is up here!"

"Right ,sorry." Draco tried to get up but he was forced back down by something. He let his eyes travel down again, and his eyes came to rest on my waist. He licked his lips slightly before speaking in a somewhat dry voice.

"Umm, Hermione, I think I know what McGonagall was referring to back in her office."

"What do you mean?" I followed his gazed and stopped when I saw my, our waists. My eyes widened.

"Oh dear lord."


	8. chained

Chapter 8

"Umm, Hermione, I think I know what McGonagall was referring to back in her office."

"What do you mean?" I followed his gaze and stopped when I saw my, our waists. My eyes widened.

"Oh dear lord."

Around my waist was a thin gold chain. A thin gold chain that just happened to be connected to Draco's waist as well.

"What the…What is this?"

"I think that's pretty clear Hermione." Draco said down to me.

"How long do we have to be like this?!" I asked, freaking out somewhat.

"Remember what McGonagall said about the three parts to the marriage spell."

"Yeah. The first was the bed."

"Right. Now I believe she also said that the second part (he gestured to our connected waists) would last for two weeks, so…"

"Two weeks?!!?" I yelled. "You've got to be kidding me!"

" 'fraid not Hermione. We're stuck." Draco smirked.

"Fine, Fine…Can I get up now?" I asked. Draco seemed to realize for the first time the position we were in and I thought I saw him blush slightly. I muffled a giggle.

It took longer than expected to get us both off the floor. We managed to do it in just under a minute though which I thought was a pretty good accomplishment actually.

I looked over to Draco, who was standing about eight inches away from me (that's how long the connecting chain was), He turned to face me.

"So…um… you don't need a shower…do you?" I asked hesitantly, flushing slightly (I seemed to be doing a lot of that nowadays).

"Um, no…Do you?"

"I had one last night."

"That's good, I guess."

"Yeah."

Both of us were trying our best not to make eye contact. Neither of us moved for a little while, then finally I got fed up and started marching towards the walk-in closet. Draco, caught off-guard, was half-dragged behind me.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"I'm getting dressed! And unless you want everyone in the school to see us in our night wear then I suggest that you do the same!"

Finally managing to get to the closet, I collected my skirt, shirt, tie and robe, and then walked with Draco as he got his clothes. We managed to walk back out to the bedroom, and to the dressers, with little difficulty, where we got our under garments, then proceeded to dump the whole lot on the bed as we thought about how we were going to do this.

I turned to Draco. Okay, close your eyes."

"What?"

"Close. Your. Eyes. I don't really want you watching me while I'm changing."

"Why not?" Draco asked me with fake innocence, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"You know why!"

"No honestly, I don't. Could you enlighten me?" He grinned, clearly enjoying my suffering.

"Please Draco?" I pleaded desperate. He chuckled but closed his eyes.

"There, happy?" he asked.

"Yes. Thank you."

I turned to my pile of clothes and dug out my bra, then proceed in an attempt to take off the nighty without too much trouble. Draco sensed my struggling.

"Need help with anything, darling? 'Cause you know that I would be more than happy to…"

"NO! Keep your eyes closed!" Draco laughed

I managed to get my bra on with minimal struggling, and I was just bending over to pick up my shirt when I heard Draco's voice again.

"You know, Hermione, I never would have thought that you would be one to wear green undergarments." He chuckled.

I whipped around clutching the shirt to my chest, "You sick-minded ferret! Stop Peeking!"

"I thought we agreed on no name calling?"

"We did, until you peeked at me! Now I can call you anything I want!"

"Simmer down Hermione," He laughed then closed his eyes once again.

"That's not good enough. Turn around."

"I really don't feel that that is neccess…"

"Turn. Around." I glared at him. He rolled his eyes then acquiesced. I tried to finish dressing as fast as I could.

"There. I'm done." I said. Draco turned and stood there staring at me. "What?"

"Your turn."

"For what?"

"Turn around." He smirked. I rolled my eyes at him but turned never the less.

Tapping my foot impatiently, I waited for him to finish.

"Are you done yet?"

"Geez Hermione, keep your knickers on. Alright, there I'm done. Now let's go." It was Draco's turn to drag me after him and after a lengthy argument about who got to exit the room first we were finally out the portrait hole and on our way to breakfast. Anyone who passed us in the hallway would assume that we were walking this close because we were married, however the chain only allowed us about a maximum of eight inches apart from each other, so separation really wasn't an option.

Approaching the great Hall presented us with another problem.

"Ummm, Draco? Where are we going to sit?"

"I think that anyone at the Slytherin table would try and kill you right now, so how about yours?"

I nodded in agreement and we headed towards the Gryffindor table, eliciting many jealous glares from various females, and one red headed male in particular, along the way. We finally made it to the Gryffindor table and sat down opposite Harry, Ginny and Ron, the latter darkening his gaze as we did so.

"Hey Hermione." Ginny gave me a warm smile, "Hey Draco."

Draco mumbled his response, and I elbowed him in the stomach, "Hello Weasly."

"Call me Ginny. Any husband of Hermione's is a friend of mine. OW."

I had kicked her in the shin and she was rubbing it, while at the same time giving me an 'innocent' "What?" look in her eyes. I sighed and shook my head.

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Ron sneered in Draco's direction, but before he had a chance to retort I spoke instead.

"I don't know what you're talking about Ron, I always sit here." I replied with an innocent smile. Harry and Draco both chuckled and Ginny giggled.

"Not you. Ferret boy beside you." Ron gestured sharply in Draco's direction.

"If by, Ferret boy, you mean Draco, then what he is doing should seem pretty obvious to you." We both looked over to him, Draco seemingly unfazed by Ron's rudeness had filled his plate with eggs, bacon, toast, and had started eating.

"Why doesn't he just eat at his own table?"

"Two reasons. First, we're married, so why not? And second, we're joined at the hip."

"Awe, how cute!" Ginny interrupted in the argument several eavesdropping females nodded in agreement.

"No I mean it Ginny. We are literally, joined at the hip." I nudged Draco and we both stood and parted the front of our robes to show Ginny the chain. She stared in open mouthed confusion, Harry mirroring her actions. Ginny spoke.

"But how…"

I turned to Draco with pleading eyes. We hadn't talked at all about what to tell people. He stared back with amused eyes. The message was clear, I was on mu own."

"Well… ummm… apparently this happens in all magical marriages after the first fight." Ron straightened up a bit at this.

"Awe! Your first fight as a married couple! So, what was it about?"

"Bathroom schedules." Lame I know, but it was the first thing that popped into my head.

"But couldn't you just…"

"Ginny!"

"Fine, fine." Ginny giggled from across the table, I blushed, then finished my breakfast quickly, and pulled Draco up and dragged him behind me out of the Hall. Neither of us noticed a pair of dark eyes following our backs.

We were just turning into the second hallway when Draco spoke.

"There's someone following us."

I tried to casually look behind us, then cursed when I saw who it was. She glared at me with an intense venom in her eyes.

"Who is it?"

"Remember that dark-haired Ravenclaw that I told you about yesterday?"

"Who? You mean the bitch?"

I snorted. "yeah that's her."

"What should we do about it?"

"How about we turn around and curse her?" I asked innocently. Draco inclined his head in my direction.

"Or, we could just play with her a little bit." Draco turned to face me fully, still walking. I was suddenly quite scared. We turned into another hallway, the girl followed and she seemed to be getting closer.

"How do propose we do that?" No sooner than the words had left my mouth when a mischievous glint crossed Draco's face and he pushed me up against the nearest wall.

"Like this… Be afraid, Mrs. Malfoy. Be very afraid." Draco grinned before lowering his lips to mine.

The whole world stopped at that moment and I could feel a burning fire in the pit of my stomach. Without realizing it I had wrapped my fingers in his hair and was melting into the kiss with such a fervent desire that I wished for it to never end.

We were suddenly interrupted by a screech, and we broke apart to face the Ravenclaw, who shrieked again before stomping off in the opposite direction sobbing.

Draco turned back to me a large grin on his face.

"You know Hermione, I think I'm starting to like this situation right now."

"Situation?" I was still in a daze.

"The chain."

"Oh. Right." I blushed.

"Because of it we are now closer than ever." He smirked, and leaned a little closer, placing both of his hands on either side of my head, trapping me. Suddenly I got an Idea. Placing what I hoped to be a sexy smirk on my face I replied,

"You know, I think your right Draco."

"Really? How so?" the smirk never left his face, mine didn't either. I added a hopefully sexy edge to my voice and leaned up closer to him.

"Well… Now that we are so close, as you wonderfully pointed out, I can now do something that I have wanted to do for a long time now…A very… long… time."

Draco gulped, the smirk still didn't leave his face. "And that would be?"

"This." I leaned forward and Draco mirrored my actions, however, just before the kiss which was what he thought was coming, I swiftly jabbed my knee straight up, and in between his legs. Draco was now kneeling on the floor clutching himself. I crouched down beside him to compensate for the short chain.

"What was that for!" He half-yelled up at me, I could almost see tears of pain in the corners of his eyes.

"For peeking at me when I was changing." I shrugged innocently. Draco merely groaned.

I waited a few minutes before pulling him up and leading us down the Hall towards transfiguration.

"You're evil." He said sideways at me wincing slightly as we were walking. I resisted the urge to laugh.

"I've been taught well Draco." To my surprise Draco laughed as well.

**Draco's POV**

_Alright, she definitely has my respect now._

_**And quite a powerful knee kick as well if I might add.**_ I cringed slightly.

_True that._


	9. shower

Chapter 9

**Hermione's POV**

"Are you sure that you can't wait?" I pleaded.

"Nope. Sorry. You might as well do it to, we're going there already. and why prolong the unnecessary suffering?"

I groaned softly as I was towed towards the Head's common room after class. We had had Herboligy, it was raining, and as we were walking back up to the school a mud ball came flying into the back of Draco's head. The culprit wasn't uncovered. Yet. We decided to eat dinner first, but now, it was shower time.

"_Great. Juuust. Great_

"_**Shower time. Woohoo!**_

_Woohoo?_

_**Yup.**_ Minnie me grinned. _**Both of you have to shower, and you are chained together.**_

_Ewww. Why do you always think like that?!_

_**It comes with the job sweetheart.**_

_Job? You're not being paid to torture me!...Are you?_

_**I wish. No torturing you is just one of the many perks.**_

_One of? What do you mean by that?!_

_**Well, I get to annoy you. **_I rolled my eyes._** And I see, think and feel whatever you do.**_

_Oh good. So you know how mortified I am with the idea of SHOWERING IN FRONT OF A BOY!_

_**Not exactly.**_

_What does that mean?!_

_**Well, technically he's of age, so you can't call him a boy.**_

_Okay miss smarty. Anything else?_

_**Yes, actually. Despite what you keep telling me, I am sensing that you are not as **_**mortified**_** as you are letting on.**_

_What do you mean?_

_**You and I both know that you are secretly wondering about what your new husband looks like without his clothes on.**_

_WHAT?! Ab…Absolutely not! _I blushed furiously.

_**I saw that. And yes you are. Yes, I am for that matter. **_Minnie me giggled.

_You're disturbed._

_**And proud of it! This is your husband we're talking about here, so why shouldn't you be wondering?**_

_Because. Unlike other marriages, this one wasn't for love._

_**Oh. And love can't grow with time?**_

_Not in this marriage. We come from completely different worlds, I'm a muggleborn, he loathes me._

_**Then why does he keep trying to kiss you? Hmm?**_

_For show?_

_**You wish! The past two make out sessions happened in the common room, when no one else was around.**_

_Th…That doesn't change anything._

_**Oh yes it does, and you know it.**_

_Damn you. Do you always have to be right?_

_**It's a gift.**_ Minnie me shrugged innocently._** As well, you aren't able to go without showering for two whole weeks. It was going to happen sometime.**_

_Groan. There's no way out of this is there?_

_**Nope.**_ Minnie me giggled.

_I was afraid you would say that._

_**Besides, Haven't you noticed how little, you and Draco have been fighting recently?**_

_Kinda._

_**So then this whole showering business won't be so bad then will it?**_

_Groan._

_**You two go and have fun now!**_

_Ahhh! Stop it!_

My only response was a giggle, then silence, as I was brought back to the real world.

We had stopped by the portrait, Draco had said the password, and we were now heading towards the showers and my ultimate doom.

**Professor McGonagall POV, just outside the Head's common room.**

I grinned as I walked down one of the many hallways of the school. I had been keeping tabs on the new married couple ever since the start of term. No one would ever guess this, but I had pulled some strings getting Draco into the position of head boy. His marks were good enough, but some of the teachers had felt bad having the son of a Death eater in this position.

My reasoning was simple enough. I was desperate for house unity, and the relationship that these two portrayed to the school was the exact opposite. My only wishes, for this year, were simply for these two students to learn to co-exist without killing each other. I never intended for them to marry. I laughed slightly at this as I turned the corner.

I was truly surprised. Hermione and Draco were now getting along much better than I could have dreamed it; most of the students even believed that they were actually in love. This whole marriage business was turning out to be a very good thing indeed.

I turned the last corner just in time to see the chained couple enter their dorm. I chuckled, just wait until the third part of the marriage spell kicked into action two weeks from now. I didn't know how they were going to react; it was going to be very entertaining indeed. This had happened to one of my cousins, so I had a fairly good idea of what these two should expect.

I walked up to the portrait and stared at it.

This portrait had been spelled to resemble the two head's living behind it and to portray, exactly the relationship that they were in. At first the prince and princess had been at complete opposites of the portrait and glaring at each other. That was definitely not the case now.

They had moved slightly closer together but were still turned away from each other. However, every so often the princess Hermione would sneak a peek at the prince, and vice versa. If she caught him staring at her she would turn away and blush. Whenever that happened the Prince would just stare out the corner of his eye at her and a small grin would spread across his face.

Neither of the two figures seemed to notice the other's reaction, so they both stayed in one place on the canvas.

_Interesting. Very interesting indeed._

I turned around and started the long walk back to my office, grinning all the way.

**Ron POV**

I walked quickly down the hall way and looked behind me to see if anyone was following, before ducking into the empty classroom.

"About time you showed up." I whipped around as a figure came walking out of the darkness at the front of the room.

"Pansy. Why did you want to meet me?"

"Oh I think you know, just what I want Weasly." She smirked and perched on one of the desks. I sat on top of the one right across from her. I nodded, she continued.

"Draco should be mine, and Granger you want for yourself. We're a perfect pair for this job."

"What job?"

Pansy smiled then drew a small glass vial from the inside of her robes.

"Is that…?"

"Yes. One of Granger's hairs. She and Draco sit right in front of me in charms, so it was a simple matter for me to pull it off of her robes."

"What are you going to do with it?"

"It's not what I am going to do, but what we are going to do."

"And that is?"

Pansy explained her plan to me and I almost smiled, but at the same time I wanted no part in it. I took the vial from Parkinson's hands and stared at its contents. If this worked then, it may just break up Hermione and Malfoy for good. On the downside, it would hurt Hermione, and as much as I was angry with her right now I still thought of her as a friend. Still, the fact that she never told me about her and Draco, really made me mad. I sighed, then handed the vial back to Pansy.

"I'm in."

She smiled.

"Excellent."

**Hermione's POV**

"Please don't make me!"

"Too late. We're already here and we both need to shower." Draco grinned at me amusedly. I huffed.

"Alright, fine." I gave in. Draco's grin widened.

"Now, as I am such a _wonderful_ husband, I'll let you shower first." I glared at him, "And I won't peak!" He said raising his arms in defeat. I smiled.

"Good, now turn around so I can get in." He turned around, and I started undressing. I thanked all gods known and unknown for the eight inches of chain between the two of us that would let me shower in relative privacy. I stepped into the shower, closed the curtain, reached for the shampoo and felt a tug around my waist.

'_Uh Oh. Dammit, the chain isn't long enough, I can't reach the soap.'_

Trying to compose the little dignity I had left I reluctantly called out.

"Umm, Draco?" I said hesitantly.

"Yeah?" I heard him reply from the other side of the curtain. I saw his shadow shift slightly.

"Umm, the chain is too short."

"What?"

"The chain. I can't reach the shampoo."

"So, what do you want me to do about it?"

I winced slightly before replying. _Just get it over with._ "Could you come in here with me?"

Silence.

"Please Draco? As much as I am dreading to admit it, It's the only way."

More silence, then: "Alright, but keep your eyes closed."

"Same goes for you." I said back to him, he chuckled. I saw through the curtain as his shadow removed first his shirt, then his pants. I closed my eyes then and felt the chain slacken as Draco stepped into the shower. He called out.

'Hermione where are you?"

"I'm right here. Just turn around, I'll do the same, and then we can open our eyes."

"Okay."

I turned, then hoping that I was facing the right way I opened my eyes a crack then wider as I found myself facing the end of the shower.

I let Draco use the shampoo first as he was the one with the muddy hair, then I picked it up as he set it down. I sighed inwardly as I felt the hot water wash the soap out of my hair and relieve my aching muscles along the way.

I had just rinsed out the conditioner when it happened. I lost my footing on the shower floor, grabbing the closest things to me. Unfortunately for me those things happened to be the shower curtain and Draco's shoulder. I felt Draco freeze at the touch, neither of us breathed.

My hand seemed to burn and tingle as I quickly retracted it from his shoulder.

_That's not a good sign_

_**Why not?**_

_Just because._

_**Just because what? Because your body is reacting quite positively to his nearness?**_

_Exactly_

_**And how exactly is that not a good sign?**_

_We've had this discussion before._

_**Yes, we have. And so far they have almost always ended with you admitting that you like him.**_

Pause.

_**Ooh la l a. **_Minnie me giggled.

_What do you mean!? What's _Ooh la la!?

_**I think you might want to close the shower curtain a bit Hermione.**_

_Huh?_

_**Yes. Close the shower curtain…and look up.**_

I did, and froze. I was staring at the bathroom mirror, and what was in it. I was hidden, however when I grabbed the curtain to right myself it had apparently not closed fully, so now I was viewing an unobstructed reflection of Draco's backside. I blushed. I blushed very deeply indeed. Then I rushed to close the curtain hoping that Draco didn't notice anything. (Hermione's end of the shower is the closest to the mirror so when she peeks out she can see right behind herself).

_**See what I mean?**_

Blush

_**And might I personally thank all Quiddich gods, and their extremely toned seekers. **_Another giggle.

_Fine, fine, you win this round._

_**Thank you. Now aren't you glad we met?**_

_Do I have to answer that right away?_

_**Hermione! That hurts.**_ Minnie me said, and I would have believed her display of hurt was it not for the fact that she laughed immediately after saying it.

_Alright then. Now if you keep me here any longer I'm going to shrivel up like a prune, so if you don't mind…_

_**Say no more. My lips are sealed…For now.**_

And with that I was once again brought back to reality, her giggle slowly fading away.

"Umm Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you done?"

"Yup."

By mutual consent we both closed our eyes again and stepped out of the shower. Our towels weren't hard to find as they were right next to the shower, so we were able to cover ourselves before any more embarrassment could take place and with a quick drying spell we entered our room to change for bed.

When my turn came to change I opened the drawer that held my nighties and looked inside. I had two in there that hadn't been worn yet but I really didn't think that this present situation was a good time to introduce them. One was all black, and the other was Green silk with silver lacing, (I hated that green and silver were the Slytherin colours, but they were also my favourite colours, darn). I settled on my Sapphire and silver one then turned to face Draco.

"One day down,"

"And thirteen left to go." He replied.

"Great." I rolled my eyes, and he laughed.

"Come on Hermione, just admit it, there are many worse people for you to be chained to right now."

We got into bed with minimal difficulty .granted we had to both get in on my side then Draco had to shift over.

"That's true." I replied, settling under the covers, however doing that presented another problem. Draco was the first to comment.

"I don't think this isn't going to work."

"Neither do I." We couldn't comfortably lie on our backs, as our shoulders scrunched together. "Let's just turn our back to each other and sleep on our sides then."

Draco turned towards me and smiled. "Nope won't work."

"And why not?"

"Because. That would involve me sleeping on my right side when I can only sleep on my left."

I rolled my eyes. "Can't you make an exception?" I half pleaded.

"Nope." He grinned. I groaned. "Sorry, either I sleep on my back, my left, or otherwise I'm up all night."

"Fine."

I turned away from him and lay on my left side as well, however that left me with an incredibly untrustworthy feeling so I turned under the covers to face him.

"Why, hello there." Draco said amusedly. "Just couldn't stay away could you?"

"Stop flattering yourself. I just don't trust you when my back is turned."

"Moi?" Draco said in fake disbelief. "Shouldn't you always trust your husband?"

"If it was anyone else then maybe."

"Ouch. Well since we have already established a truce, why don't we make one for trust then?"

"Draco?"

"Hmm."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Nice?"

"For you, this is nice."

"I guess you're right."

"So will you answer my question or not? Why are you being so nice to me?"

Draco paused before answering, and when he did the words came softly.

"I guess…well…You're starting to grow on me."

I lay there stunned. That was definitely not the answer that I was expecting.

"So are you going to answer my question now?"

"What question?"

"Do you or do you not want to agree to always be truthful, and trust worthy to each other?"

"I think trust is something that is earned Draco."

"Well, maybe if we agree to be truthful then that trust will come. So, what do you say?"

Again I was surprised by his words.

"Sure, I guess. I could live with that."

"Excellent! Now, let's seal it with a kiss."

Before I could react his lips were suddenly on mine and I could once again feel the fireworks and the skip as my heart fluttered erratically, and when his lips left mine, they experienced the same burning tingle that my hand had, in the shower. I was grateful that the lights were low enough that Draco would not see my glowing face. He chuckled.

"Good night Hermione."

_**See! I told you that he was always trying to kiss you! But you didn't listen!**_

_Shut up._

However it was hard not to smile slightly at Minnie me's words, especially since she was currently doing a victory dance inside my head. I gave in.

I smiled.


	10. Switch

Chapter 10

**(A/N): SO Sorry! I've been suffering from minor writer's block, and several due projects. Anyway, here it is! Also, so several people asked me about Draco's point of view during the shower scene so here it is. Enjoy!**

**Draco's POV**

"Please don't make me!" Hermione whined desperately.

"Too late. We're already here and we both need to shower." I grinned at her, quite entertained with this whole situation actually.

"Alright, fine." She huffed and gave in. '_victory! Ha!_.

"Now, as I am such a _wonderful_ husband, I'll let you shower first." I laughed silently as she glared at me, "And I won't peak!" I said raising my arms in defeat. Somehow I could still feel the pain that resulted from the last time I had peaked at Hermione. I shuddered.

"Good, now turn around so I can get in."

I turned around, and waited patiently for her to get in the shower, however I felt a tug around my waist and I was suddenly filled with an unexplainable dread.

"Umm, Draco?" I heard her say shakily.

"Yeah?" I called back Silently hoping that she wasn't about to say what I thought she was going to.

"Umm, the chain is too short." _Dammit._

"What?"

"The chain. I can't reach the shampoo."

"So, what do you want me to do about it?"

She hesitated before replying_._ "Could you come in here with me?"

Silence.

"Please Draco? As much as I am dreading to admit it, It's the only way."

_Oh crap. Why now?_

Another pause, then: "Alright, but keep your eyes closed."

"Same goes for you." She retorted. I chuckled. I did my best to undress quickly, and then I closed my eyes and stepped into the shower.

'Hermione where are you?"

"I'm right here. Just turn around, I'll do the same, and then we can open our eyes."

"Okay."

I turned, then hoping that I was facing the right way I opened my eyes a crack then wider as I found myself facing the end of the shower.

I shampooed my hair, and was just finishing up when I heard a squeak, then felt a small soft thing clamp onto my shoulder. I froze, and I could feel Hermione freeze as well. That simple touch shot tendrils of tingling heat racing through my body, and I was very relieved that Hermione could not see me flush.

Her hand left my shoulder, and I was relieved, yet somehow wishing it to stay there.

_Alright Draco, snap out of it. She shouldn't be making you feel like this._

_**Why not?**_

_Because she's a Mud…_

_**Say it.**_

_She's a mud……mud…mu…m…Dammit_

_**You can't say it can you?**_

_I've never had trouble with it before. Why now?_

_**Because you love her.**_

_What?! No. Not possible, it's just a crush. I'll get over it._

_**Then say it.**_

……

_**See. I told you.**_

_You're right._

_**Stop trying to deny… Wait. Do mine ears deceive me, or did the Great Draco Malfoy just admit that I was right?**_ The voice smiled

_Don't get used to it. _I retorted.

_**Say it out loud Romeo.**_

I smiled before answering. _I love her._

_**Good man.**_

And with that I was once again brought back to reality, The heat still in my shoulder.

"Umm Draco?" I smiled at her voice, I loved the way it sounded when she said my name.

"Yeah?"

"Are you done?"

"Yup."

By mutual consent we both closed our eyes again and stepped out of the shower. Our towels weren't hard to find as they were right next to the shower, so we were able to cover ourselves before any more embarrassment could take place and with a quick drying spell we entered our room to change for bed.

Changing quickly for bed, I noticed that Hermione wore her Sapphire and silver nighty. I thanked the heavens again. My favourite one so far was the red a gold nighty. Always the Gryffindor.

"One day down," She sighed

"And thirteen left to go." I replied. Thirteen, the unlucky number. However I didn't think that it was going to be too unlucky though.

Hermione rolled her eyes and I laughed.

"Come on Hermione, just admit it, there are many worse people for you to be chained to right now."

We got into bed with minimal difficulty .granted we had to both get in on her side then I had to shift over. I wasn't complaining though. I don't think she noticed, but her leg brushed against mine for a fraction of a second. A fraction of a second that proceeded to send another wave of heat through my body.

"That's true." she replied, settling under the covers, however doing that presented another problem. I commented first.

"I don't think this isn't going to work."

"Neither do I." We couldn't comfortably lie on our backs, as our shoulders scrunched together. "Let's just turn our back to each other and sleep on our sides then."

I turned towards her and smiled mischievously. "Nope won't work."

"And why not?"

"Because. That would involve me sleeping on my right side when I can only sleep on my left." My, how Slytherins were great liars.

She rolled her eyes. "Can't you make an exception?" She half pleaded.

"Nope." I grinned. "Sorry, either I sleep on my back, my left, or otherwise I'm up all night." _Wow I'm good._

"Fine."

She turned away, then shifted slightly before turning back to face me. I smiled

"Why, hello there Just couldn't stay away could you?" I tried to keep the laughter out of my voice.

"Stop flattering yourself. I just don't trust you when my back is turned."

"Moi?" I said in mock disbelief. "Shouldn't you always trust your husband?"

"If it was anyone else then maybe."

"Ouch. Well since we have already established a truce, why don't we make one for trust then?"

"Draco?"

"Hmm."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Nice?" I was being nice?

"For you, this is nice."

"I guess you're right." I laughed

"So will you answer my question or not? Why are you being so nice to me?"

I paused before answering, the words came softly.

"I guess…well…You're starting to grow on me." _And I love you_

She lay there stunned. That was definitely not the reaction that I was expecting.

"So are you going to answer my question now?"

"What question?"

"Do you or do you not want to agree to always be truthful, and trust worthy to each other?"

"I think trust is something that is earned Draco."

"Well, maybe if we agree to be truthful then that trust will come. So, what do you say?"

Again she was surprised

"Sure, I guess. I could live with that."

"Excellent! Now, let's seal it with a kiss." Before I knew what I had said, I said it.

Hermione was silent. I leaned forward and captured her lips in mine. She tasted of Honey and chocolate. I was surprised when she started to lean into it, and I felt another rush of heat. Hermione leaned into the kiss, but all too soon we had to come up for air.

"Good night Hermione."

I watched her as she closed her eyes. It may have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I saw a small smile form on her lips.

. .

**I'm skipping ahead to the end of the two weeks 'cause I want to get the story moving to the third part of the spell. Enjoy!**

**Two weeks later Hermione's POV**

I groaned as I heard my wand buzz. Time to get up, darn. I rolled over to shut it off, though apparently I rolled too far as I rolled off the bed and landed on the ground with a thud.

I heard laughter above me so I opened my eyes to see Draco grinning above me, leaning over from his side of the bed. I glared, an action that merely rewarded me with more laughter from Draco. '_It would be more annoying if I didn't like the sound of it so much darn it.'_

I stood up from the floor, straightened out my nighty, then realization dawned on me. I gasped as my hands immediately flew to my waist._ No chain!_

I felt a huge smile cross my face and I immediately started doing my happy dance.

I stopped when I realized that Draco was still in the room (about a minute later), and he was no longer laughing.

I turned to face him, only to see Draco staring at me with a wide eyed, slightly open-mouthed look. He stared like that for a few seconds before shaking his head slightly and leaving the room without a word.

I stared after him confused. _What did I do?_

**Draco's POV**

There was only one thought on my mind as I left the room. _Very, very cold shower._

I shuddered slightly, stepped into the shower, and let the cold water run over me.

When Hermione had fallen out of bed, I must admit that it was very amusing. And Hermione looked so cute when she was angry. I chuckled.

And then, Hermione had started doing what I assumed was a happy dance, of sorts. Well. Let's just say that she wasn't the only one happy while she was dancing. The dance had been a spur of the moment, lively, almost childish one. It was wonderful.

Every male's dream was to have a watch a beautiful, woman dance in a nightgown. I had just experienced that, and boy, was I screwed. The 'woman' dancing, loathed me. At least I thought she did, I wasn't too sure anymore. God women could be so confusing.

Stepping out of the shower, I groaned. These new feelings were leaving me very confused, I had to do something to get my mind off things.

_**I have an idea.**_

_What?_

_**How about you hurry up with your plan to make her fall for you?**_

_I'm doing just fine!_

_**Hmm, okay. Then how come it's been two weeks and yet, there has been little or no progress since last time we spoke about this?**_

_Well…I…I_

_**Maybe what is needed, is a little spontaneity on your part.**_

_How?_

_**I'll let you figure that one out on your own.**_ The voice smiled and departed.

I left the bathroom, only to find that Hermione had already left.

_A little spontaneity… Hmmm?_

I smiled to myself as a plan slowly formed in my head.

**Hermione's POV**

Finally, classes are over. I sighed to myself as I climbed one of the many staircases that lead to the Head's room.

Approaching the portrait, I stared at the prince and princess. They weren't glaring at each other, but sneaking tentatative glances at each other when they thought that the other wasn't looking.

I shook my head slightly and spoke the password. The portrait opened and I stepped inside, dropping my bag and robe on the couch. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a faint light coming from the kitchen, so I made my way over, curiously.

I gasped, stumbling back slightly. _What the?_

In the kitchen/dining room before me was a sight that I never thought I would ever see. And I mean ever.

. .

The dining room table had been set beautifully, with three candles running down the centre. Two places had been set at the table with a silver dome covering each plate. The whole room had an eerie, _dare I say it_, romantic feel to it. I looked around at the scene in awe when my eyes finally rest on Draco who was standing over the counter, his back to me.

"Draco?" I half - whispered. He turned immediately to face me and smiled as he started to walk over.

"Hello there." He replied. I stared at him. He chuckled and led me, dazed, to one of the chairs which he held out for me, before sitting at the other end of the small table. I finally found my voice.

"What is all this?"

"I think that's pretty obvious Hermione." He said chuckling. I blushed slightly embarrassed.

"I know _what_ it is; I'm just trying to figure out why?"

"Can't a man cook dinner once in a while?"

"You? Cooking?" I giggled in spite of myself.

"Hey! It's not that funny! Actually, I spoke with McGonagall and she arranged for us to eat dinner up here."

I nodded. "You still haven't answered my question." I demand smiling.

"Well, I actually want to make some progress out of our 'situation' as you have so kindly pointed out before. I don't want this marriage to be totally unbearable. For either of us."

I chuckled quietly. This was a much more mature Draco than I had ever witnessed before. _Truly, I'm impressed. _I smiled to myself

_**So am I. He he he.**_ Minnie me giggled.

"So? What do we have here?" I asked gesturing to the plates in front of us. Draco smiled, then waved his wand. The domes disappeared, revealing underneath, a steaming plate of roast chicken breast, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, and Yorkshire pudding. Almost instantly it's warm aroma filled the room.

"And to drink?"

Draco waved his wand again, and two glasses that had been sitting on the counter where Draco was standing earlier, floated to the table. "Butter beer."

I laughed. "Wow. You went all out." He laughed in response, and we turned to our dinner. It was delicious. For dessert, we had apple pie, and before either of us knew it, the clock was chiming nine o'clock. We had been sitting for just over four hours.

This time last year, if someone had told me that I would be married to Draco and actually having a normal conversation with him now, I would have sent him or her to St. Mungo's in a heartbeat.

I chuckled internally, as I got up, stretched, and started walking over to the staircase. Just before ascending I turned back to Draco and smiled.

"Thank you for dinner. It was wonderful."

"You're welcome." He replied. "However, I must say that I'm disappointed in you." He said non-chalantly. I gaped at him.

"What for?"

"I would have thought," He started, walking over to stand right in front of me. He backed me up against the wall placing his hands on either side of my head, trapping me. He continued, "I would have thought, that a girl as smart as you, would come up with a better way to thank me." He grinned and quirked an eyebrow at me. I stood there shocked, un-moving.

"Wh…what do you mean?"

"I think you know just what I mean Hermione." Pause. "No? Well then let me teach you."Draco whispered huskily into my ear (A/N: Drool.)

There was only a fraction of a second before I felt his lips on mine, Draco was pressing me up against the wall, and the fire in my stomach re-ignited. The world seemed to stand still at that moment and soon, my hands were travelling up his chest and clamping around his neck. It was pure bliss. Simple, and yet, un-believably passionate. And then I was cursing, cursing the fact that we were both human and needed air.

We broke apart, gasping, and I found that somehow, my hands had become tangled in his hair. Blushing intensely, I managed a quick 'goodnight', before rushing up the stairs and into bed. Only stopping long enough to brush my teeth and change into my pink and black nighty.

It was only a few minutes before Draco entered the room and got in his side of the bed.

"We're going to want a good night's sleep." He stated simply in the darkness.

"Why?" I asked turning to face him. He did the same.

"Well, in case you had forgotten, tomorrow is when McGonagall said that the third part of the spell would kick in, and I don't know about you, but personally I am preparing for the worst that it's going to throw at us. Hence, the good night's sleep."

I nodded tiredly and turned away from him so that I was resting on my left side. Truthfully, I had forgotten about it, and quite frankly, if it was anything like what had already happened, then we were in for it.

That thought in mind, it was at least an hour before I finally fell asleep.

. .

**Next Morning. He he he (insert mischievous smirk here) Still Hermione's POV**

Waking up, I groaned. Curse schools and their time schedules. This was my thought right before I noticed what I was holding. Correction, who I was holding. And that who, was a small, slim who. _What the?_

I opened my eyes and met a face full of curly brown hair. _My curly brown hair._ I looked down, and my eyes widened. The hair was attached to a slim, pink silk clad body that was currently snoring. It was me. _Oh shit._

Panicking slightly I jumped out of the bed and looked at myself in the mirror. Six feet, three inches of green boxer-clad, blond, male stared back at me. _Oh shit._

I screamed.

I heard a thud as I, me, Hermione, whoever, fell out of bed and looked around for the source of the scream. Her eyes finally landed on me and widened before copying my previous actions. She screamed.

"What's going on?! Why are you, me?!"

"My thoughts exactly" I glared at Draco, now apparently in my body.

"What do you…" She, he started to say before he looked down. "Holy shit! What is this?!"

"I think that it's quite obvious Draco. It's part three of your mom's marriage spell."

Draco groaned, and sat on the edge of the bed burying his hands in my hair.

"Great. Just great. I'm a chick. I'll never live this down."

"Hey! I resent that! Being a girl isn't all that bad!..." I paused, as I remembered something, and suddenly I was rolling on the floor in uncontrollable laughter.

"What's going on? What's so funny?!"

I continued laughing. "Oooh! This is gonna be good!"

"What is? Tell me woman!" I could tell he was frustrated. I managed to pick myself off of the floor and turn to face him, still in my body.

"This is going to be a week of hell for you Draco." I said, wiping a tear from my eye. He paled.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…um… You know the basics of women right?" He looked at me quizzically, and somewhat frightened.

"Yeah…?"

"Well" laugh." I'm…uh…In the middle of a cycle right now."

"What do you…?" His eyes widened in realization. "Ah hell no! You've got to be kidding me!"

"Nope sorry." I said laughing."Like I said. This is gonna be good."

"Great. I'm going to be the only male, ever to get a period. Great. Juuuuust great."

He continued grumbling, until a wide grin spread across his face. I was suddenly very frightened.

"Okay then. If I have to do this then you get to play quiddich."

"What?! But I'm afraid of heights!"

"I know." Draco grinned.

"Why?" I whined.

"Well, I'm captain, so there's no way that I'm going to miss practice this week, even if you're in my body, and plus. If I have to suffer, then you are going to be suffering with me."

I glared at him and stomped to the closet to change, my earlier happiness, quickly fading away.

This was definitely going to be a week of hell.


	11. Quiddich

Chapter 11

"Well…um… You know the basics of women right?" He looked at me quizzically, and somewhat frightened.

"Yeah…?"

"Well" laugh." I'm…uh…In the middle of a cycle right now."

"What do you…?" His eyes widened in realization. "Ah hell no! You've got to be kidding me!"

"Nope sorry." I said laughing."Like I said. This is gonna be good."

"Great. I'm going to be the only male, ever to get a period. Great. Juuuuust great."

He continued grumbling, until a wide grin spread across his face. I was suddenly very frightened.

"Okay then. If I have to do this then you get to play quiddich."

"What?! But I'm afraid of heights!"

"I know." Draco grinned.

"Why?" I whined.

"Well, I'm captain, so there's no way that I'm going to miss practice this week, even if you're in my body, and plus. If I have to suffer, then you are going to be suffering with me."

I glared at him, my earlier happiness quickly fading away.

This was definitely going to be a week of hell.

I growled, and then stomped over to the closet, tripping in the process. I resurfaced amid loud laughter, and I turned and glared to see myself/Draco/whoever rolling on the floor and clutching her/his sides (Dammit, I'll never get used to it)

"I'm glad you think that's so funny, seeing as it's your body I'm breaking while doing it."

That stopped him. "Just be careful, and don't do anything stupid, alright."

"Well I'm sorry, but being a girl for the past seventeen years, I'm a little off balance. And besides, I'm not used to having feet the size of Sasquatch!"

"You know what they say about men with big feet right?" He smirked, still sitting on the floor.

"Arrgh!" I turned and again stomped over to the closet. I could hear Draco get up off the floor snickering, and following me, however when I re-emerged with a bra, skirt and blouse that's when he blew.

"Oh no! I will not have the school see my body in a skirt. That is just so wrong!"

I stared in confusion, then realization hit me and I started to laugh.

"They're not for me wise guy. They're for you!"

"Wha…?"

"You're a girl remember?"

He looked down and blushed clearly embarrassed. "Oh…Right." He stepped forward and took the clothes.

"Oh and by the way, you need to come to the bathroom with me."

"Why? How much more torture can you put me through?!" He whined. I grabbed his hand and pulled him, half dragging across the hall and into the bathroom. I grinned evilly. Maybe having toned quiddich muscles wasn't so bad after all.

"Well, you have your period right now so I need to show you how to put on a pad, as I really don't feel comfortable with you using a tampon." I grumbled back and fished in the cabinet under the sink for the pad.

"This is so humiliating! Why me?! If the guys ever saw me!"

"Well they won't. And even if they did, you look and sound like Hermione Granger, so unless you fancy telling them…"

"No!"

"Well then stop complaining." I found the pad and showed him how to use it. That process wasn't as painful as I thought it would be, I was just glad that I wouldn't have to suffer through it for a change. "It's about time that at least one of you males realized what we females go through every month." I added, and stood up. A last minute thought made me crouch back down and fish out a small bottle of pills.

"What are those for?" He asked pale faced, clearly afraid to ask. I opened the bottle, shook out two pills and offered my open hand towards him.

"They're pain meds." I tried to explain. "I usually have pretty bad cramps during my period, trust me, you're going to want to take them."

He scoffed at me. "Ha! Is that all? I'm a man! I'm tough. What's a little pain here or there?"

"I really think you'll want to…"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." He stood up and went back into the bedroom, I followed.

"Oh, and you'll want to change your pad in few hours, there should already be a couple of pads in my book bag. My periods can be heavy."

He groaned again and made his way over to the bed. When he got there he seemed to eye the small pile of clothes tentatively, before he picked up the bra between his thumb and forefinger as if it might try to eat him.

"How do you put this on?"

I strolled up behind him and grabbed it out of his hands. "Years of practice now turn around." He did, "And please don't look down, you may be in my body, but I won't have you ogling at it." He rolled my eyes and did as he was bid.

"Raise your arms." He did so. I looped his arms through the straps, then made sure it was in place and hooked the two ends together.

"Geez! How can you guys breathe in these things?! I feel so constricted!" He complained, and tugged at the bra.

"And I feel somewhat violated now shush."

I was able to force him into the blouse, and skirt, to which he replied.

"I'm a chick, this is just wrong." He said looking at himself in the mirror as he tied the Gryffindor tie around his neck. While I was getting dressed, I had caught him trying to put on one of his own Slytherin ties. I won't go into details but let's just say that I won that argument.

"Tell me about it."

I deemed us to be presentable, so we grabbed our robes and book bags and stepped out of the portrait for breakfast. We had already walked down a few hallways when Draco spoke up:

"Wow, I never thought I would say this, and I will seek revenge upon you if you tell anyone, but wearing a skirt isn't so bad." I snorted, and several passing students looked at us strangely.

"I don't know what it is, but I feel so free in it." He said twirling again. I was still laughing at this point.

"Just wait until you walk outside for Herboligy."

"What do you mean?" He stopped spinning and fell into pace beside me.

"Well, its autumn, so when a strong breeze comes by, you're legs will freeze."

"Like I said before, I'm a man, I'm tough. What's a little cold wind."

I shook my head. _This was going to be a long week._

**Back in the common room after dinner**

"Would you mind telling me about that tough part again?" I asked smugly. Watching as Draco dragged himself through the portrait and flopped on the couch, obviously in pain.

"Shut up." He groaned clutching his stomach.

I grinned triumphantly, "I told you I got bad cramps, but you didn't listen did you?"

"Stop laughing and get me the drugs." He groaned from his spot on the couch. I smiled, but got the pills and a glass of water anyway. He took them, and his head fell back on the armrest of the sofa.

"They should start to work in a few minutes." I said, hopefully reassuringly.

"I'll be fine." He opened one eyebrow and glanced at my face, "You might want to hurry, or you'll be late for Quiddich.

"Damn."

"My broom is in a box under the bed by the way." He chuckled, clearly enjoying my suffering.

I waved him off and walked reluctantly up the stairs to replace Draco's school robes with his quiddich ones. Then I took out the box from under the bed, opened the clasps and groaned. I grabbed the broom and went back down to the couch.

"Do I have to use this one?!" I half-yelled, slightly panicking.

"Of course you do. Why not?"

"It's so fast!!"

"Yeah, that's why I bought it."

I was holding in my hands the new Lightning bolt racing broom. I had seen it shopping in Diagon alley. It was supposed to be faster even, than the Fire bolt. I suddenly felt nauseous.

"Cant I use something slower?" I pleaded. "Maybe a shooting star, or the clean sweep." I named off the two slowest brooms ever made. Hey I wasn't always ignoring Harry and Ron's Quiddich debates, no matter how boring they got sometimes.

"Absolutely not!"

"You're not going to give in are you?" I said in defeat.

"Nope." He smiled. Jerk. "Have fun. And don't worry everyone on the team pretty much takes care of themselves, so you won't have to do much. Just be happy that there is only one practice this week"

At least that made it somewhat better, I think. I grumbled the whole way down to the quiddich pitch. I didn't even know how to fly, and I hated heights. Perfect. _Note sarcasm._

**Two hours later**

"Where have you been?! Practice ended an hour ago!"

I had just got back from the quiddich pitch and I was covered in mud. I cast a repellant charm on the sofa and sat down on one side.

"I was at practice." I shrugged my shoulders as Draco in my body sat down at the other end of the sofa.

"Like I said, practice should've ended an hour ago."

"It did." I replied.

"Well then, what took you so long to get back?"

"Well…"

Draco suddenly got very curious. "What did you do?" He asked worriedly.

"Well, I may have stayed late."

He rolled his eyes. "I know that part, but what were you doing?"

"Flying." I stated simply. Draco started to laugh.

"Ha, wow, you're funny. For a minute there I thought you said that you stayed late to fly some more… Wait…You were serious?!" His shocked face took in my smiling one. I nodded.

"I thought you hated flying?!"

"So did I." I smiled back.

"What changed your mind?"

**Flashback**

I entered the pitch only to look up and see the rest of the Slytherin team already in the air.

"Here goes nothing." I huffed, swung one leg over the broom, and held on for dear life. Closing my eyes as tight as they would go, I pushed off from the ground like I had seen Harry do many times. I felt wind rush past my face, and I hesitantly opened my eyes. It took all of my will power to not scream when I did. I was hovering nearly two hundred feet in the air. Almost double the height of everyone else on the team. I felt petrified.

_Oh dear lord._

"Hey Draco! Get down here!" It took me a few minutes to remember that they thought I was Draco, and when I did I racked my brain trying to figure out how to make the broom go lower.

_The jerk couldn't even have given me some basic tips on how to even think of accomplishing this._

"I'll be right down!" I seemed to remember Harry mentioning something about leaning forward so that's what I did, and I was rewarded by the broom plummeting towards the ground. I pulled it up just in time though, to hover, level, to the Slytherins.

"Where've you been?" I dark haired almost Italian looking boy asked me. I recognized him as Blaise Zabini. "Was your ball and chain keeping you busy?" He laughed; the rest of the team joined him. Everyone that is except for one, I groaned when I saw Pansy Parkinson glaring at me from her broom, she wasn't carrying a bat so I assumed that she was a chaser.

"What? OH! No she wasn't. I couldn't find my gloves." I hoped that was a good enough save. Apparently not.

"Right, sure. You never lose anything Draco…Any ways, what do we do now oh great and wise captain?"

Dammit. "Ummm…The usual?" It sounded more like a question than an answer. I didn't even know if there was a _usual._

Apparently there was as the team immediately broke off into roughly two even teams. One beater each, two chasers per side, and the remaining chaser went with the keeper, Marcus Flint, to the far goal posts with a spare quaffle. I was seeker. _Perfect. I can't even play and they expect me to play one of the most important positions on the team._

I didn't know which side of the make shift teams to play for so I just grabbed the practice snitch and decided to just focus on not losing it.

I was just about to release it when a sharp pain hit me on the back of the head. I turned and growled.

"Oops, sorry. My bad." Pansy apologized, innocence etched onto her face. I noticed her glare at me when the rest of the team had their backs turned. Innocence? Ha! Yeah right.

I sat hovering above the rest of the team searching for that small gleam of gold, thinking about how completely ridiculous and impossible that was when I spotted it. It had to be my lucky day. I tried to keep my eye on that small flitting gleam of gold, while I tried to figure out how to move the broom forward.

I leaned forward slightly again, and the broom shot forward, again too far and I had to duck at the last minute to keep from smashing into one of the three goal posts. I pulled up on the broom, and searched around me again, finally spotting at about fifty feet in the air directly above me. I didn't know how I did it, but I shot up and soon I was racing at breakneck speed chasing the snitch around the quiddich pitch.

I sensed that I was closing in on it so I reached out my hand, sped up, and snatched the snitch out of the air.

I whooped loudly as I reined in Draco's broom and smiled. This wasn't so bad; I was actually starting to enjoy it.

I was just about ready to release the practice snitch again, when Another Quaffle hit my head.

"Ow! Dammit!" I rubbed the back of my head with my free hand, and turned only to glimpse Pansy's retreating figure.

I rubbed the sore spot again, growling, and released the snitch.

An hour later, practice was over and the team put away the equipment. I stayed in the air and continued to fly around as they landed and made their way back up to the castle.

I was really getting the hang of this whole flying thing. I smiled as I raced, flipped, turned, and spiraled around the pitch. It got dark long before I realized just how long I had been up there, so I reluctantly landed Draco's broom and ran up to the castle and into the Head's common room.

**End Flashback**

I finished my story and looked up to see a very stunned, openmouthed Draco staring back at me. After about five minutes he spoke.

"I don't believe it."

"Well you should, because I wouldn't lie about something like this."

He took in my smiling face, and a wide grin stretched across his own. "Now you see, I told you it wasn't that bad, but you didn't listen." He said smugly to me.

"Oh really, just like you wouldn't listen about the cramps?" I smiled back.

"That reminds me. Since I am still being tortured by this monthly curse of yours, and since you seem to not be tortured at all by the flying anymore, I'm going to have to find a new way to torture you this week." He grinned. I didn't like that look on his/my face at all.

"If you remember correctly, I was tortured."

"Oh? Pray tell."

"Pansy kept hitting me on the head with a quaffle; if I were you I would watch my back for a while."

"Technically you are me." Draco stated innocently.

"You know what I mean!"

"Wow, my wife can play quiddich. Personally, I find that to be quite sexy actually."

I shook my head, and playfully slapped his arm.

Draco laughed. I got up off the sofa.

"where're you going?"

"As much as I want to avoid it, I need a shower."

"Well this should be interesting."

I nodded. "And quite possibly, slightly scarring as well."

"Hey! I resent that! Might I have you know that I spent a long time getting my body to look the way it does. You should at least be happy that it isn't Potter or Weasly's body that you're in now."

I shuddered visibly. "Please don't. That is a mental image that I really do not want to visualize. They're like brothers to me. That would be so wrong."

He laughed. "Indeed it would." He paused, and then sniffed his/my underarm. "Come to think of it I need a shower as well. He got up and followed me to the bathroom.

**Fast forward to the bathroom. **

Despite my new, longer legs, Draco still managed to beat me to the bathroom. I entered it only to see that Draco had already removed his shirt and was now working on the skirt.

"alright first things first." I waved my wand and the rest of his clothes became a blue bikini.

"What the…?"

"I really don't feel comfortable with you seeing my body. This is as far as I'll let you go." I stated. _As far as I'll let you go for now. No! Stop! Bad Hermione bad!_

Draco didn't respond, he was staring at himself open mouthed in the mirror. I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes to bring him back into focus.

"Enough! Now get in that shower." "And don't touch!" I called as an afterthought.

I really couldn't stand there waiting for the shower while covered in mud so I removed his Quiddich robes and transfigured his shirt and pants into a pair of swim trunks, then I warmed the water in the pool sized bath tub (with magic of course) and dove in.

I swam a couple of laps before returning to the side and grabbing the soap and shampoo, with which I cleaned myself of all the mud and sweat. I tried not to blush as my hands lathered soap over my/Draco's muscular shoulders and toned abs. (A/N: Drool).

I finished quickly, stepped out of the bath and muttered a drying spell. I turned as I heard the water in the shower turn off and Draco stepped out and onto the marble tile floor. He stepped back when he saw me

"But how…?'

I pointed to the bath tub, then to the swim trunks and smiled.

He rolled his eyes and dried himself.

I transfigured the swim trunks into a pair of red boxers and headed into the bedroom.

"Awe hell no!" I heard Draco exclaim. I turned to face him; he was staring at my boxers.

"What's wrong?" I asked innocently, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"They're red!"

"Yeah, so?"

"That's for Gryffindors! I am not a Gryffindor! I'm a pureblooded Slytherin!"

I rolled my eyes. "Well I'm not. And since I'm going to be in your body for a while, you better get used to red boxers."

He groaned.

"Look if it'll make things better, I have an idea."

"What is it?" He looked up. He seemed truly interested.

"Follow me."

I lead him over to my dresser and opened the drawer with my nighties. I pulled out the green one with silver lacing and tossed it to him.

"There, happy?"

He grinned. "Very. Now tell me, why a Gryffindor like you would be in willing possession of such a Slytherin garment?" He smirked at me, Draco waved his wand so that he was now wearing the nighty.

"Because green and silver are my two favourite colours." I muttered quickly getting into the bed. I hoped that he didn't catch that.

He did.

He laughed incredulously at this statement, from his side of the bed. "And would the reason for that come from our glorious new relationship we have now?"

"Of course not! Geez, you have a big head."

"Hey!" He exclaimed in mock hurt.

"If you must know, green and silver were my favourite colours long before I even found out about Hogwarts. Since I was seven actually."

I waved my wand and turned out the lights. Draco spoke.

"Aren't most girls supposed to worship the color pink at that age?" He asked innocently. He turned in the bed so that he was facing me on his side. I laughed.

"Most girls do, however, after living with me for a while, you will come to find that I am definitely not like most girls."

"That you are not."


	12. Pretty

Chapter 12 – SOOO sorry it took so long! I had a lot of school work and I just got back from a band trip to Cleveland. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter! Ciao! 

**Previous**

"If you must know, green and silver were my favourite colours long before I even found out about Hogwarts. Since I was seven actually."

I waved my wand and turned out the lights. Draco spoke.

"Aren't most girls supposed to worship the color pink at that age?" He asked innocently. He turned in the bed so that he was facing me on his side. I laughed.

"Most girls do, however, after living with me for a while, you will come to find that I am definitely not like most girls."

"That you are not."

**Now**

Hermione's POV

Skittish was an understatement. What I was feeling right now was definitely more than simply _skittish_. Unbelievably, freakishly, uneasily skittish was more like it.

These were my thoughts as Draco and I walked into the Great hall next day. After Draco had learned that I liked quiddich, he had sworn that he would get revenge on me for the cramps in some other way. I shivered. Draco was clever, intelligent, and sneaky, what he was planning wasn't good. As well, all this morning as we were getting dressed, his face had been covered in a mischievous smirk so he was definitely planning something.

We sat at the Gryffindor table again and were met with two smiles, two hellos, and a glare (from Ron of course).

"Morning Hermione." Harry and Ginny said to Draco. He didn't respond, so I nudged him in the side.

"Ow." He exclaimed though not loud enough for everyone to hear. "What?"

"They just said 'good morning Hermione.'"

"Well then answer them." He said back to me.

"They think you're me remember?"

"Oh, right." He turned to face Harry and Ginny. "Good morning, Potter, Weasleys."

I elbowed him in the side and hissed. "Be nice! They're supposed to be your friends remember?"

He rolled his eyes but turned back to my friends, who all had looks of pure shocked confusion on their faces. "Sorry, let me rephrase that. Good morning Harry, Ginny, Ron." He seemed to spit out the last name with venom.

The three turned back to their plates, confusion still slightly on their faces. Ginny looked up.

"Are you alright Hermione? You seem a bit off today." Harry looked up as well.

For the smallest fraction of a second, I thought I saw that mischievous smirk cross his face again. Oh no.

"Don't worry, Ginny, I've just had a few late nights is all. I'm just a little tired."

Ginny nodded. "I know, I can imagine your homework level to be massive, what with NEWTs and all."

Draco just shook his head; the smirk didn't leave his face. This wasn't good. I tried to nudge him and get him to stop but he ignored me. He spoke,

"Actually, the homework isn't too bad; I get most of it finished in class."

"Then why…"

"There are other reasons for me to be staying up late." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Ginny was slightly open mouthed, and Harry, and Ron's faces showed slight signs of horror. My eyes widened.

I nudged him in the side and growled, then automatically wished I hadn't. Draco turned to face me still smirking, amusement playing behind his eyes,

"Draco darling, didn't we already discuss this? Growling is strictly for bedroom purposes only."

I stared in horror at him cheeks burning with embarrassment, and then was brought back into reality by two thuds.

Ron had fainted at Draco's words, and Ginny had fallen off of her seat from laughing so hard. Harry's fork however, had stopped halfway up to his mouth, he was staring at Draco openmouthed with shock, and I could see in his eyes disgust from the thought of his book-loving Hermione, doing '_that_' with Draco Malfoy. There were several giggling females nearby that had clearly been eavesdropping.

I was currently dying from embarrassment, and Draco turned to me with a small triumphant smile on his lips.

"You. Hall. Now."

He followed me out of the Great hall and I dragged him across the hall and into one of Filch's broom closets.

"In. Now."

He complied, and I shut the door behind us, and lit the tip of my wand. He spoke.

"Wow Hermione, you locked us a broom closet. Kinky." He smirked.

"Cut the crap. What the hell was that in there! Why did you do it?!"

He folded his arms and sat down on an overturned bucket. "You know why. I am suffering through something that no man ever should, and since you discovered that you like Quiddich I had to find a new way to get back at you."

"How?! By embarrassing me in front everyone?!" I shouted at him.

"Yep." He responded, a smug smile on his face.

"Your impossible!"

"I know. And I love it."

"Arrgh!" I threw my hands up and collapsed against the wall farthest from where Draco was sitting.

"Now now Hermione, what did I say about the growling?"

That was it, I grabbed his arms and trapped him against the door, a death glare in my eyes. I was about to respond when the door suddenly opened and we fell out of the closet and onto the hall floor. I had the breath knocked out of me when Draco landed on top of my chest. I heard several wolf whistles, then cursed as I looked up and into the faces of about fifty students on their way to class from the Great hall. _Dammit. Perfect, just perfect._

Once Draco had got off of me I stood up and brushed off my robes before turning to the crowd.

"There's no show here people! Move along, now!" I turned back to Draco as the students dispersed, many whispers exchanged in the process.

"Wow, irritable much?"

"I wonder why!?" I shouted back sarcastically.

"You know what?"

"What?!"

"It's truly amazing, how you can't keep your hands off me. First, locking us in the broom closet alone, then just now when you made me fall on top of you. Wow, I never thought you had it in you." He smirked. I rolled my eyes, then pushed past him and started walking towards the dungeons.

"You're UN-believable."

"I know. And I'm UN-believably proud of it." He replied as he turned to follow me to potions.

_**So. How's the new body working out for you?**_

_Awful!_

_**Are you quite sure about that?**_

_Of course I'm sure! What else would I be?!_

_**Well …This is a perfect opportunity to get to know each other a bit more.**_

_And why would I want to do that?_

_**Obvious reasons.**_

_Like?_

_**You two are married for crying out loud! There's no way out of it, so it's bound to happen sometime.**_

_Unlikely. _Pause. _Is that it, or was there something else that you decided to bother me for?_

_**Actually yeah there is.**_

I mentally rolled my eyes.

_**I saw that.**_

_Good!...So what is it?_

_**I want to know why you two haven't made any progress yet?!**_

_Should we have?_

_**Ahhh! Haven't you been listening to **_**anything**_** I've been telling you over the past few weeks?! You two are meant for each other!**_

_Truthfully. I don't see it. AT ALL._

_**So young…so blind…so naive. Look, you've already admitted to me that you like him. And not just as a friend. **_ I blushed slightly. _**So why do you keep trying to deny it?**_

_I…I don't know._

_**Oh come on. I live inside your head. OF COURSE YOU DO! So now I ask, why?**_

_Well… I. I guess we've been enemies for so long that it's hard to see us as anything else. I mean, if someone had told me this time last year that I would be married to Draco Malfoy of all people, then I would have sent them to the long term psyche ward at St. Mungo's in a heartbeat._

_**I see your point.**_

_And furthermore! Whenever we're alone, like that dinner he planned in the common room, I suddenly want to kiss him. But then when we're back out in public, he infuriates me so much that I wonder why I even feel that way at all!_

_**I'm just quoting Friedrich Nietzsche here, "There is always some madness in love. But there is also some reason in madness."**_

_What's that supposed to mean?!_

_**Exactly what it says Hermione. There is a reason why you two are acting like this.**_

_And that is?_

_**You're both to stubborn to say anything about your obvious attraction for each other, so you just deny it and pretend that you still hate each other.**_

_N…no we don't. _I replied quickly. Hastily.

_**Of course you do Hermione. You both do.**_

I knew it. I was defeated.

_**Told you. **_ Minnie me replied in a happy voice.

_Fine! You're right. Do you have to be so smug about it?_

_**Yep. **_Minnie me grinned. _** Besides, don't you remember when Draco first told you about the marriage spell?**_

_Oh, when I tackled him to the ground?_

Minnie me nodded. _** Good times…Good times. Anyway, remember how he said ( with many shudders at the time) that the spell wouldn't have worked unless you two were soul mates?**_

_Yeah. I thought, no, I knew he was crazy._

_**Well, that spell is ancient magic. It means what it says.**_

_I know. I've researched them._

_**Of course you have. **_

_Shut up. _ I replied with an amused grin. Minnie me giggled.

_**So are you going to tell him finally?**_

_I don't know. I can't help but feel that if I did tell him, then something would go wrong._

Minnie me sighed before answering. _**"Could you imagine how horrible things would be if we always told others how we felt? Life would be intolerably bearable."**_

_Wow, deep. That was really good._

_**I know eh? That Randy K. Milholland really knows what he's talking about.**_

I rolled my eyes but smiled anyway. Then I followed my classmates into the potions room for class.

**Pansy POV**

_Does that bitch really think that she can steal away my Drakey-poo? _I thought to myself as I glared at Granger's back ( I will never call her Malfoy, That name is mine!) from my seat right behind her.

Well… She had another thing coming. In about four weeks time the potion would be ready and then my plan would be put into action. I really wished that I didn't have to work with the Weasel in this whole thing, but if I really wanted to ensure that the plan worked, then it was necessary.

I could hardly contain my anxiety as I thought about the entire month until Draco was finally mine. All that time spent in the arms of that know-it-all mudblood Granger. I cringed at the thought.

Just then I caught sight of the supply cupboard out of the corner of my eye. _ Hmmm, maybe I don't have to wait that long for revenge after all. At least a small part of it._

I stood from my seat and walked over to the supply cupboard and searched until I found what I was looking for. Powdered fairy wing. Perfect. Just what I needed. I grabbed a small handful then closed the door and slowly made my way back to my seat. Just as I reached Draco's table (he shared it with the mudblood. I seethed in fury), however, I pretended to slip, and caught myself on the edge of his table, whereby I secretly tossed the powdered fairy's wing into their bubbling cauldron.

Both Draco and Granger glared at me when I picked myself up. He looked like he hated me. Ha! As if! He's just confused right now. He'll come to his senses soon enough, I was sure of it.

I smiled smugly as I sat back down in my seat and waited for the show. 5…4…3…2…1.

BOOM!

**Fast forward to just after potions. Hermione POV**

"Ha ha ha! You look hilarious." I clutched my sides and laughed as we made our way upstairs to lunch after double potions.

"Very funny. You're not the one covered head to toe in bright pink, with lime green hair and green polka dots all over your body!"

"I know! You look so silly!"

"May be. But so do you. How do you think I feel?! My body looks like a Weasly threw up on it! My perfectly, blonde male body!"

He was right. I did look ridiculous. Both of us did. When our potion exploded and the smoke had cleared, I turned to Draco to ask what had happened, when I fell off my chair from laughing so hard (so had Pansy for that matter, I was suspicious, she was definitely behind it).

It seemed that the exploding potion had turned Draco pink. And I mean PINK. His entire body, head to toe, including his clothes had been turned a vibrant, hot pink. As well, his hair had been turned lime green, and large lime green polka dots had sprung up all over his body. He looked hilarious.

I, however had received only the tail end of the blast (he had been standing directly in front of the cauldron), so my hair was the only part that had been affected. Once a short platinum blonde was now a bright cherry red that stood up on end as if I had been electrocuted recently.

"I'm just glad that professor Snape said it would only last a few hours." Draco grumbled walking up the stairs. Groaning as each passing student sniggered.

"Oh I don't know about that Draco, but I think the overall effect is quite cute actually."

"Cute? Cute?! I'm a man! We are never described as cute! And we definitely are not supposed to be pink!"

"I think you look quite pretty actually. Pink really suits you."

"Grrr." We had grabbed a couple of sandwiches and some pumpkin juice, then headed outside for lunch not caring about how cold it was. We really didn't want to be stared at any longer than necessary.

We sat under an oak tree by the great Lake, and ate in relative silence, Draco grumbling about, 'Intrusions on his manhood', or 'shame to men everywhere', and things like that every few minutes. We finished quickly and started back up to the castle, Draco was still grumbling.

"Don't worry about you'll be back to normal in a few hours."

"A few hours too long."

I smiled slightly then sang under my breath, just loud enough so that he could hear what it was,

I feel pretty  
Oh so pretty  
I feel pretty and witty and gay  
And I pity  
Any girl who isn't me today  
I feel charming  
Oh so charming  
It's alarming how charming I feel  
And so pretty  
That I hardly can believe I'm real  
See the pretty girl in that mirror there?  
Who can that attractive girl be?  
Such a pretty face  
Such a pretty dress  
Such a pretty smile  
Such a pretty me!  
I feel stunning  
And entrancing  
Feel like running  
And dancing for joy  
For I'm loved  
By a pretty wonderful boy

"Oh that does it!" Draco exclaimed. And proceeded to chase me the rest of the way, and when we finally reached the entrance hall, we were both laughing hysterically.

(A/N: for those of you that don't know, the song "I feel pretty." Was part of the West Side Story musical)


	13. Masquerade

Chapter 13:

A/N: Oooh! Thirteen, the unlucky number. He he he. What could possibly happen in this chapter? (smirks evilly), Things might just start to heat up a bit more. Who knows.

p. s. this chapter is for K. B. (you know who you are) I know you must be dying to read this next chapter and if I were well enough to take the bus you would be pushing me to update asap. So, this is for you. Enjoy!

Ciao! (Smiley face)

(BTW: this chapter should be longer than the others.)

**Previous**

I feel pretty  
Oh so pretty  
I feel pretty and witty and gay  
And I pity  
Any girl who isn't me today  
I feel charming  
Oh so charming  
It's alarming how charming I feel  
And so pretty  
That I hardly can believe I'm real  
See the pretty girl in that mirror there?  
Who can that attractive girl be?  
Such a pretty face  
Such a pretty dress  
Such a pretty smile  
Such a pretty me!  
I feel stunning  
And entrancing  
Feel like running  
And dancing for joy  
For I'm loved  
By a pretty wonderful boy

"Oh that does it!" Draco exclaimed. And proceeded to chase me the rest of the way, and when we finally reached the entrance hall, we were both laughing hysterically.

**Now (fast forward to the end of the week) Hermione's POV**

Waking up, I got out from under the covers, stood up and stretched. I paused then as I felt a long mane of soft curly brown hair fall in front of my face. I reached a hand up to my head, then sprinted to the mirror and yelled in happiness.

"What's going on?!" Draco yelled, he was obviously still half asleep "What happened?!" He stared around the room, his eyes finally landing on me. I spoke,

"It's over!"

"What is?"

"The spell! I'm me again!" I twirled happily while hugging myself. I stopped after a few seconds as I was starting to feel dizzy.

"Really?" Draco raised an eyebrow at me, then lifted the covers off his waist and stared down. "Yup, I'm me again." He grinned.

"Draco!" I slapped his arm.

"Ow. What?" he grinned. "Can't a man be happy to be a man?"

"What man? I don't see any man?" I replied with a small smile

"Ouch. You wound me deeply." He clutched his chest in mock pain. I laughed.

"You'd better hurry or we'll be late or class!" I called, standing up and walking over to the closet. Draco followed, and soon we were dressed, and walking down to the great Hall. We entered, and sat down at or usual spot across from Harry, Ginny and Ron. Ginny looked up as we approached and smiled, something in her eyes though told me that she had a burning question in mind. She did.

"So Hermione, Draco, have you made any plans yet?"

I hesitated slightly, putting scrambled eggs and an English muffin on my plate. "What plans?"

"You know! McGonagall said you two were planning the Halloween ball. Sooo…What's the theme going to be?" She said excitedly.

"Well… Actually, we haven't talked about it really yet."

"What?! But it's only three weeks away, and I need to get a costume!"

"So do I, tell you what I'll force Draco to talk about it with me tonight, then I'll tell you tomorrow."

"Sound's good." Ginny smiled then turned to talk to Harry. Draco nudged me in the side and I turned to face him.

"I don't really have to help plan this party do I?" he asked with pleading eyes.

"Sorry Draco, but you're not getting out of it. Besides it'll be fun." I said reassuringly, Draco groaned.

**In the common room after Dinner.**

"Get down here now!" I yelled up the stairs from our Head's common room. After getting back from dinner Draco had ran up the stairs and was currently hiding in the bedroom. He called out.

"Why! Believe me when I say I am no good at planning parties!"

"That may be so! However McGonagall said that we BOTH need to plan it, so you get your goofy but down here now!"

"Hey! I resent that!" Draco stuck his head out of the bedroom door. "I'm a Malfoy, and Malfoys don't have goofy buts as you so kindly pointed out."

"Well I'm not doing the planning alone, so goofy but or not, you get down here."

He groaned but acquiesced and within about five minutes we were sitting on the couch, a notebook in my hands.

"So, any ideas?" I asked.

"Ummm…How about a haunted house?" He asked

"Good idea, but I was thinking more along the lines of a dance."

"Okay, how about a masquerade then."

"That's a perfect idea! See, it's not so bad, you do have great ideas!"

"Wow Granger, was that a compliment?" He asked a smirk forming on his lips. I blushed slightly.

"Maybe."

He rolled his eyes but let it slide, shaking his head slightly. "Okay, so a masquerade it is then. Now, are we finished?" he asked standing up.

"Almost. Two more areas of business" Draco groaned and dropped back onto the couch "First we need to find a time to plan the decorations, and book a band."

"How about next Saturday?" he suggested, exactly a week from tomorrow.

"That sounds good." I wrote that down on the pad of paper then stood up, climbed the stairs and entered the bedroom. I could hear Draco follow behind me.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?" I turned to face him, he was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest.

"What's the second area of business?"

"What do you mean?"

"Downstairs you said we had two more areas of business. You, however, only mentioned one. So what's the other?" he smirked. I blushed, slightly embarrassed.

"Umm…well… It's more of a request actually." I shifted uneasily.

"Continue." He grinned, clearly enjoying my uncomfortableness.

"Well… You know how I discovered that I like quidditch?"

"Yeah." His grin broadened.

"Well, I was hoping, that, since I don't know the game that well, that maybe you could umm…well…sort of… teach me?"

He chuckled. "You want me to teach you how to play?"

"Yeah." I stated softly. That's all I managed to say as the next thing I knew was Draco had pushed me onto my back on the bed and was straddling my hips, his hands trapping my wrists above my head. My stomach fluttered slightly, as he lowered his lips to my ear and whispered huskily (A/N:Drool!)

"Well… I guess I'll have to teach you then, now won't I."

All I could manage was a stunned nod. Draco chuckled, " You know Hermione you're quite cute when you blush."

I froze then, and hoped against all hell that Draco couldn't hear my heart beating wildly inside my chest. He chuckled again, then got off of me and stripped down to his boxers, which were still red (though he didn't seem to notice). I decided not to tell him and just let him find out for himself.

I then got off the bed and walked into the bathroom for a shower. A very, cold, shower.

**Next Day – Saturday**

"Do we have to?" I whined as Ginny dragged me down to the carriages that stood in front of the school. It was a Hogsmead weekend, and as soon as Ginny had heard that it was going to be a masquerade ball she had insisted that we go to Hogsmead today for costumes as 'All the good ones will be gone if we don't'.

"Yes Hermione. Now stop whining, we need to get you a good costume."

"Why me?"

"Because you're the one with the husband here, don't tell me that you don't want to impress him. Besides, you're the head girl, so you need to have the best costume there."

"Says who?"

"Says me, now get out, we're here."

Ginny pushed me softly out of the carriage ahead of her and we walked into the nearest shop that just happened to be one that sold all kinds of robes.

"Now, let's find you a dress."

. .

Two hours later, and we hadn't found anything. Well, I hadn't. Ginny had found her costume an hour ago, now it was just me, and I was getting frustrated and annoyed.

I was about to give up when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It was hanging behind several other garments, though I could have sworn that I had already skimmed through that section already and come up with nothing. Shrugging slightly, I pulled it out and stared at it.

It was beautiful, absolutely perfect. I gaped at it, hardly believing my good luck, as I wondered how on earth I had overlooked it before. I noticed a beautiful mask hanging on the hook, the kind that covered the top half of your face. I also noticed matching shoes and another accessory accompanying the dress that only added to the full effect. (A/N: I won't tell you what it is until the ball scene no matter how hard you press me. It'll ruin the surprise. He he he)

I hurried into the changing room to try it on. I gasped as I felt the smooth silk of the costume on my body, it seemed like it was made for me.

"Come on Hermione. Let's see it." Ginny called to me from the other side of the changing room curtain. I took a deep breath then stepped out.

I was met with silence. I looked up to see Ginny's awestruck face. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open.

"Oh. My. God…Hermione you look beautiful! Gorgeous!"

I blushed. "You have to say that, you're my friend."

She shook her head. "No, I mean it, Draco's eyes will pop when he sees you. As well as every other male in the room on Halloween."

"I'll get it." I smiled, as I turned to look at myself in the mirror.

"You better, 'cause I'll slap you silly if you don't." Ginny laughed, I joined her.

I got out of the dress and shoes, then brought them and the mask and accessory to the front counter. There I paid for it and waited anxiously as the woman at the register put it in a garment bag and handed it to me. I cradled it in my arms as Ginny paid for hers and we walked down to the three broomsticks for a quick butter beer and then back up to the school for lunch. I smiled the whole way.

**Ron's POV two weeks later, a week before Halloween. Midnight.**

I opened the door slowly and poked my head around it, looking around the room cautiously to make sure that I was in the right place. I was.

Two shapes sat in the centre of the room, one was stationary, and the other was softly bathed in the firelight that the stationary object exuded from its base. I closed the door behind me quietly and walked toward the figure.

The potion bubbled unhappily in the cauldron, like thick globs of mud like ooze.

"It's about time!" She snarled quietly in my direction.

"Hey! Peeves was setting traps down the main hallway so I had to take a long detour."

"Whatever."

I rolled my eyes at her but turned back to the potion in front of us. I watched as she added the last ingredient to the cauldron, and then stirred the potion twice clockwise and three times counterclockwise. It was another five minutes before she spoke up again.

"It's almost ready. Just one more week and we'll finally have what we want."

Yes. Hermione will finally realize that Malfoy is no good for her. She'll run crying, looking for comfort, and I'll be waiting with open arms.

Pansy stirred the potion again, then coughed once in the smoke coming from the fire at the base of the cauldron.

"You all right?" Whoa, did I just show concern for a Slytherin?!

"Like you care weasel! Let's just get this plan over and done with." She sneered.

I looked up at her face, trained, fixedly at the surface of the cauldron's bubbling insides, her eyes burning with a fiery, determined intensity. I couldn't help but stare as I took in her face, softly bathed in the weak firelight that cast eerie patterns on the walls around us. There was something there that I had never noticed before, though. She looked almost…well…pretty.

_Whoa whoa WHOA! NO! Do not think like that! She's the enemy. Hermione's the one you want._

I shook my head then continued to stare at the potion until well past 2 am, whereupon we parted ways to our own dormitories, a million confusing thoughts running a mile a minute through my head all the while.

**Halloween – about 3 pm. Hermione's POV**

"You've almost got it Hermione! Good job." Draco yelled at me from his broom. I turned mine, leaned forward, and rushed through the air towards him pulling up at the last minute. He smiled.

"Oh my god!" I yelled. Draco's eyes widened in surprise.

"What?! What's wrong?!" he said worriedly.

"Someone, quick! Toss me a tape recorder! The great Draco Malfoy has just complimented me!" I laughed. Draco smirked.

"Hey! That may be, but don't get used it okay!"

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. Just as I happened to look down I realized just how high up we were. About a hundred feet to be exact. I also noticed a small black figure walk onto the pitch and look up. I recognized her immediately as she lifted her face and called up to us.

"Hey lovebirds, get down here!" Ginny called laughing. Draco turned to me and mouthed

'Lovebirds?'

I shrugged, but we both angled our brooms downwards and landed in front of Ginny.

"Sorry to interrupt but Hermione needs to come with me."

"What for?" Draco and I asked at the same time.

"We need to get ready for the masquerade."

"Now? But it's only 3 o'clock?! That's five hours until it starts!" Draco exclaimed.

"I know! And if we don't start getting ready now, we'll never be ready in time."

Draco shook his head slightly, "women' he muttered under his breath. Ginny rolled her eyes and spoke up again.

"If you're quite finished, I would like to kidnap your wife for the next five hours so that we can change."

"All right have fun."

Smiling, Ginny grabbed my arm and started pulling me up to the castle; I turned my head back to Draco and stared with pleading eyes, 'Help me!' I mouthed. Draco only smiled widely, shook his head and gave me a wave. Unbelievable.

. .

"Alright, first things first, get in the shower."

"Why?" I whined.

"'Cause you've been flying since noon, and you're covered in dirt, now get in there."

Ginny smiled then pushed me into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

I made my shower last for about a half-hour, knowing that Ginny would be impatient.

I turned off the hot water and reluctantly stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around my hair and one around my body, and then I opened the bathroom door to let Ginny in.

I stepped back surprised. "How…"

Ginny smiled, "Magic of course."

I stared at Ginny. She was in her costume and had her make-up and hair already done. Ginny had bought a dress that made her look like a Dryad. It was made out of a delicate, floaty, moss green material that reached down to just the tops of her feet which were wrapped in thin, strappy golden coloured sandals. The top of the dress was tight to the skin, and laced down the back like a bodice, the ends of the laces trailing down the back of the dress. It had very short, off the shoulder sleeves (about two inches thick) and had a slit up the side of the dress to about her knee on the right side.

Ginny had made her hair wavy and had woven purple flowers and leaves into a sort of wreath on top of her fiery red hair. She didn't wear a mask, but instead, had stuck leaves around her eyes in the shape of one. Harry was going to flip.

"You look awesome Ginny!"

She smiled, "Thanks. Now it's your turn." She spun me around and sat me in front of the vanity table that was just beside the sink. Then out of seemingly now where she pulled out make-up, brushes, gels, and a few other things which I didn't know the name of and was sort of afraid to ask.

"Wait. Can't we use magic for me to?" I half-pleaded. Ginny smiled wickedly and shook her head.

"Nope, sorry 'Mione. We're doing it the old fashioned way for you. We've hardly spent any girl time together here. It'll be fun. Don't look at me that way! I used magic on myself so that I would have more time to spend on you."

"How thoughtful." I grumbled out sarcastically.

"I try." Ginny smiled then spun my seat so that I was facing her and could no longer see myself in the mirror.

"Hey!"

"Hermione, I don't want you to see yourself until I'm done. I want it to be a surprise." Ginny smiled and picked up a tube of something that I did not recognize, I eyed it warily. "Don't worry, I'm a real wizard when it comes to make–up." Ginny smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring way. I said no more as Ginny started working.

I gulped.

**Three and a half hours later.**

After much brushing, wiping, combing, pulling, and a few 'ows' on my part, Ginny finally stepped back for the last time and sighed, "Perfect." She smiled. "Alright Hermione, you ready to see the new you?"

"I…I guess." I closed my eyes and felt the chair turn as Ginny faced me back in front of the mirror. I hesitantly opened my eyes, and then gasped at what I saw. I almost couldn't recognize myself.

My eyes were framed by a thin line of eye liner, and just enough mascara to make my eyes pop without making me look slutty, rather graceful even. My eye lids had been brushed in a soft shimmering gold colour that brought out small golden specks in my eyes that I had never used before. My lips were coated in a thin layer of light pink lip gloss, with undertones of a slightly darker scarlet underneath, making them look slightly fuller than they used to be.

For my hair, Ginny had made it a shade darker, so that it was now the same rich, chocolate brown colour as my eyes. She had also used magic to make it a few inches longer, so that it now came down to slightly lower than the middle of my back and was spelled to fall in perfect, loose, spiraling ringlets.

I was...beautiful. I could see Ginny smiling at my reflection in the mirror. "So Hermione, what do you think?"

"..."

"I knew you'd like it." Ginny's smile widened even more, if that was possible.

"Thank you Ginny. You know how hopeless I am when it comes to makeup."

"Yeah, I know."

"Hey!" I giggled "Thanks again Ginny." I turned to face her, got up and wrapped her in a huge hug.

"Hermione, as much as I love being praised, I think we should get you into the rest of your costume now." Ginny smiled and spun me by my shoulders to march me out of the bathroom. I acquiesced and led Ginny across the small hallway and into my large bedroom. I noticed Ginny pause as we stepped through the doorway and I turned to take in her surprised face. I laughed.

"Oh. My. God. Hermione this is gorgeous! It's so big!" Ginny squealed.

"Just wait until you see the closet."

"Better than this?"

"Much." I grabbed her hand and led her to the right side of the room and opened the closet door. I swept inside and grabbed the garment bag from where it hung on my side of the huge walk-in closet, laughing as I took in Ginny's open mouth and wide eyes staring around the closet.

"Can I move in here?" Ginny half-pleaded, following me to the bed where I dropped the garment bag on the sheets and un zipped it, careful to not catch any of the silk in the zipper.

"Sorry Ginny, but no."

Ginny pouted slightly but brightened up instantly when she saw the dress.

"Wow. I'm glad we found this Hermione. It's perfect."

"It should be. I paid a pretty penny for it."

"A pretty what?"

"Penny."

"What's that?"

Oh right, "It's a type of muggle currency, almost like a Knut."

"Oh. Well let's get back on subject; I can't wait to see Draco's face when he sees you."

**Half an hour later**

I stared at myself in the mirror as we put the final touches on my costume; Ginny smiled, and then said something about telling Draco that I was coming down soon, before she exited the room, closing the door softly behind her.

I stood up from my seat at the end of the bed and moved to stand in front of the full length mirror near the dressers.

My shoes (hidden beneath the long folds of my dress' skirt) were of a ballet flat style and made out of deep scarlet satin, with scarlet silk ribbons wrapped around my ankle to hold them in place. The dress itself had a long flowing skirt in scarlet silk with a slight train and small gold embroidery sewn into the edges. The bodice was made out of a slightly darker shade of satin and laced tightly down the back, leaving the ends of the cords dangling gracefully partway down the back of the skirt. The sleeves were made out of a delicate flowey material that was slightly see-through and the same colour as the skirt. The sleeves were off-the shoulder, and were long enough to sway gently at the same length as my fingers. The whole dress clung beautifully to my shape accentuating my best, curves and features, and leaving me absolutely breathless with the result.

I turned back to the garment bag where the mask and other accessory still lay. I picked up the mask which was of soft scarlet satin, with the same thin gold embroidery on it as the skirt of my dress, fitted it over my head and let it rest over my eyes, making sure that my hair wasn't trapped in the process.

I then picked up the accessory and stared at in for about three seconds before raising it and placing it on my head. It was a crown, a delicate, gold coloured, leaf patterned crown (obviously not real gold, just spelled to look like it).

"Ready Hermione?" Ginny popped her head into the room. I nodded.

"Let's go."

I took one final look at myself before following Ginny out of the room.

Ginny had done a perfect job. I now looked exactly like the princess in the Head's portrait outside my common room.

. .

**Draco's POV**

"She'll be down in just a minute Draco." Ginny Weasley called down to me from the top of the stairs. (Hermione had forbidden me to call any of her friends by their last names.) I stared at the small clock over the fireplace mantle

_Geez, five hours and she's still not ready yet. Why do females take so long to get ready?_ I huffed in frustration.

Now males, for example, simply have to put on a clean shirt and brush our hair then we're ready for anything. Simple, effective, and we look pretty damn good afterwards. I shivered as I thought back to about an hour ago.

**Flashback**

I spoke the password to the portrait and strode into the Head's common room. Ginny had dragged Hermione off four hours ago and apparently (as no one was in the common room currently) they still weren't finished yet. What takes four hours to do up there? I was so glad that I wasn't a female.

I walked up the stairs and paused as I passed by the bathroom door, wincing slightly at what I heard. I could hear several small gasps of pain which I instantly recognized as Hermione's voice. I was just turning away when I heard a loud thud followed by a sharp "Dammit!" I shook my head and shivered.

_I don't want to know._

I shivered again, and then strode into the bedroom and into the closet where my costume hung. I hadn't bothered to buy a new one. This costume was one that I wore in the summer when my mother had thrown a costume party for all of her friends in an attempt to bring fun and happiness to the Malfoy name. I had written my mother to send it to me as, somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind, I felt that it would be perfect for this event tonight.

I opened the garment bag, took out the costume and put it on. I checked myself in the mirror briefly to straighten out the shirt then put on the mask that accompanied it and swept out of the bedroom and down the stairs to wait in the common room.

The costume was a rich, emerald green shirt with silver embroidery, loose, black leather pants, and black leather boots. The mask was of black leather as well with small silver embroidery around the edges. I had transfigured a silver cloak clasp into an emerald studded, silver sword hilt and scabbard, and had fixed the base of my wand where the blade would have been if it was a real sword. (A/N: Remember Lucius Malfoy in the second HP movie when his wand was inside of his cane? Just imagine the same thing but in place of the cane and cane head, the wand is connected to a silver sword hilt and hidden in a sword scabbard/sheath)

Only now did I realize that this costume was an exact replica of the one worn in the portrait that now graced the front of the Heads' common room. I didn't mean at all for that to happen, yet strangely, somehow I still felt that it was perfect.

I looked up at the clock on the mantle, then sighed, sat down, and waited.

**End Flashback**

I heard movement at the top of the stairs, so I stood up, and walked forward to stand at the base of the stairs, while fixing my shirt at the same time. Finished, I looked up, and froze suddenly, before taking a small staggering step back. That was not Hermione. That was most definitely, NOT Hermione. The Hermione I knew was plain and very bookish looking, even though I do admit she had changed a great deal over the summer.

This Hermione looked like, no, was a goddess. From her chocolate hair that flowed like a river down her back, to her piercing brown eyes which held golden flecks that crackled like fire, to her sculpted lips, and finally to the dress which accentuated her form perfectly. She was gorgeous.

My mouth went dry and I watched transfixed, as she descended the stairs. She held herself with a straight-backed gracefulness and fluidity that I had never seen her portray before. I looked up and took in her face as she came to stand in front of me. I saw a small, knowing smile grace her face and an amused, glint enter her eyes as she raised them to meet mine. At the same time I could detect a look of shyness about her as if she was unsure of herself right now. That look only intensified her beauty. I loved it.

I licked my lips in an effort to moisten my mouth enough to be able to talk. However, all I could manage was a hoarse whisper.

"Beautiful."

"Thanks." She blushed and averted her eyes. I chuckled and proffered my arm.

"Shall we, my lady?"

She smiled and emitted a soft laugh. "Why yes good sir." She laughed again and placed her hand in the crook of my elbow and let me lead her out of the common room.

**Hermione POV**

I was so glad that we were the only ones walking in the halls right now. Why shouldn't we be, it was almost eight, everyone else would be waiting in the Great Hall already, for the masquerade to start. Truthfully, I wasn't sure that I would be able to handle all the staring that Ginny had said would be focused on me. Draco was one thing, yet still I had certainly not expected the reaction I got from him when he first watched me descend the stairs to the common room. I don't know what I had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't for him to freeze and stare at me the way he did. And I had definitely not been expecting him to call me beautiful. A word that had never before been used to describe me.

It felt…wonderful. Maybe things were starting to look up. I sighed then but blushed as I noticed Draco turn to me and raise an eyebrow.

I took a deep breath as we approached the doors that led to the Great hall. Draco noticed my uneasiness.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine."

"Easy for you to say."

"Maybe. Just remember to smile, and try to enjoy yourself." He grinned, in a way I took to be reassuringly. Readjusted my hand on his elbow then pushed the doors open and strode into the great hall.

Moses parting the Red Sea couldn't have cleared a better path than the one Draco and I did at that moment. Gasps could be heard around the room as we entered, and everyone parted to the sides of the room in awe as we walked forward.

I was met with some glazed over looks from the males, and faced glares from slightly seething, jealous females (except Ginny and the other seventh year Gryffindor girls, they're faces flashing with bright smiles at the sight of us)

Remembering what Draco had said, I raised my head, smiled widely and continued forward. I wide hole opened up in the centre of the room and Draco swept me into the middle of it clearly unfazed by all of our onlookers. He stopped us in the middle of the circle and turned to face me. Then he placed his hand around my waist and grabbed one of mine with his other hand.

"What are you doing?" I hissed quietly at him..

"Dancing." He grinned back, still whispering.

"What! I don't know how to dance!" I exclaimed, starting to panic slightly. He chuckled and lifted my free hand, with the one that had been around my waist, and placed it on his shoulder. He then replaced his hand around my waist and pulled me in closer. He then leant down to place his lips by my ear before replying huskily.

"Relax Hermione, I do. Just flow with the music."

I gulped lightly, and then managed a small nod before the music started and Draco was sweeping me around the room in a beautiful waltz. I started slightly when I heard the music. I recognized it immediately; it was called _A River Flows in You _by Yiruma. It was my favourite song.

"Where did you learn to dance like this?"

Draco chuckled, he then spun me gracefully before answering. "It is customary in all pureblooded families, that everyone know how to ballroom dance."

"You're really good," I said, blushing at the same time.

"Why thank you darling. Oh, that reminds me, you're going to have to learn as well after we graduate."

"Really?"

"Of course, you are a Malfoy now." He grinned, then lifted me in the air and spun me around once, before returning us to our wide graceful sweep of the dance floor.

"I…I guess it could be fun."

He chuckled again.

"So is it only the waltz that you learned."

"Nope." He smirked.

"Well?..."

"Well what?"

"Which ones are they?"

"Apart from the Waltz, I was taught the Quickstep, Foxtrot, Merengue, Salsa, Tango, Rumba, Mambo, and Paso Double. I stared at him, slightly open mouthed.

"Whoa…So I have to learn all of them?"

"Yup." He grinned. "Don't worry I'll be you're teacher. It could be fun."

I sighed, and then shook my head. "I'll make a fool of myself."

"Perhaps." I glared slightly at him. Then he added quickly, "At first. Then you'll be even better than me."

"Nice save."

"Thank you." He smirked amusedly at me. We stopped talking then and I let him lead me through the rest of the dance, still marveling at the grace and fluidity that he was able to move me with. The last notes of the song faded and Draco spun me slowly, one final time before dropping me back into a deep dip over his arm. The hand that wasn't around my waist let go of my hand to cup the back of my neck as he leaned his face closer to mine. I could feel my heart race as his lips got closer.

"Wh…what are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious Hermione? And besides, the audience expects it."

And then his lips were on mine, and the fire in my stomach exploded once again. Stars appeared before my eyes and I lifted my left hand to cup his neck as I leaned fervently into the kiss.

I suddenly heard loud clapping so I reluctantly broke away from Draco, my lips throbbing in the aftermath. I glanced, dazed, around the room and noticed that we had been the only ones dancing. I flushed, and then let Draco guide me towards one of the many chars stationed around the edge of the room. I sighed as I sank into the nearest chair, and another song started, one that was more upbeat than the last one.

"Shall I get us some drinks?" Draco asked after I was seated. I nodded, smiling.

"Yes, that would be great, thank you." Draco left then, and I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes, my lips still pulsing slightly.

"I was right and you know it."

I opened my eyes and smiled as I took in Ginny's beaming face.

"You always are."

"I know." Ginny smiled back. She blew on her finger nails and rubbed them on the shoulder of her dress. I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"Thanks again."

"You know you're welcome Hermione. I'd help you through anything." She gave me a hug then stepped back.

"Well I guess I should go, I need to drag harry out to the dance floor. Besides, I think you're going to be too busy to talk to me anyways."

"What do you?"

Ginny smiled and pointed behind me. I turned and saw Draco there holding two butter beers and grinning. I turned back to Ginny.

"See you later."

She nodded, and then walked off to find Harry. I turned back to Draco who had sat down and now offered me one of the bottles, which I took.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

We sipped our drinks in silence then Draco pulled me up for another dance. Two more followed, and both times I found myself strangely, taking and laughing along with Draco as if we were long time friends.

The last dance of the night ended with another waltz, another dip at the end and another kiss. This time though, I was snapped back into reality by the sound of crushing glass. Whereupon I glanced around the room quickly, looking for the source, only to be met by Ron's retreating figure, stomping furiously out of the Great Hall. I sighed. _He was never going to accept it._

I stared confused then as I saw Pansy spot Ron leaving, then run quickly out of the room to follow him. I shook my head, I must be seeing things.

"What's the matter?"

I spun to face Draco. "Oh, umm, nothing. I'm just tired, do you think we could leave soon?"

The clock was just starting to chime midnight, marking the end of the dance.

"Yeah sure."

Draco grabbed my arm again, and we slowly made our way back up to our common room. I stepped tiredly through the portrait hole could faintly hear Draco follow before the portrait closed quietly behind both of us.

Walking across the common room, I stumbled, and would have fallen if Draco hadn't caught me just before I hit the floor.

"Thanks." I mumbled softly, my eyelids drooping.

"Are you sure you can make it?"

I nodded weakly.

"Okay then." Draco helped me to stand then let go of me. I managed a half step before my knees crumpled again and felt Draco's arms catch me for the second time that night. Instead of standing me up this time, I felt him place one hand behind my back, and the other under my knees. I then felt him lift me up and carry me bridal style up the stairs and into our room, my head lolling against his chest the whole time.

I could faintly detect him placing me gently on the bed then felt as my dress was replaced instantly with one of my nighties (with magic I deduced). I crawled under the sheets and curled up on my right side into the fetal position, and sighed contentedly.

I heard a soft chuckle then, "Hermione, Hermione. Whatever am I going to do with you?"

Then I faintly felt the mattress dip slightly, and the blankets lighten for the briefest couple of seconds as Draco got in his side of the bed. I opened my eyes weakly to see that he was on his side facing me. I spoke softly, tiredly.

"Thank you Draco."

He hesitated slightly. "You're welcome Hermione."

I bit my lip then hesitatingly before leaning forward and kissing him lightly on the lips. My last sight was of a somewhat stunned Draco. My last thought was,

_Things are definitely looking up now. What could possibly go wrong now?_

Then I gave a weak smile and let my exhaustion consume me.


	14. Betrayed

Chapter 14

A/N: Sooo sorry for the long wait! Its exam and summative time again so I've been really busy. Anyways.

P.s. It was soo hard for me to write this chapter. Please don't hate me! Believe me; it's for the good of the story.

Enjoy!

P.p. s. if any of you want to know what Hermione's dress looks like, just look to my profile for the picture. I'll put it there soon 

**Last time:**

I bit my lip then hesitatingly before leaning forward and kissing him lightly on the lips. My last sight was of a somewhat stunned Draco. My last thought was,

_Things are definitely looking up. What could possibly go wrong now?_

Then I gave a weak smile and let my exhaustion consume me.

**Now**

Hermione's POV

I woke up to the sound of my wand buzzing. I groaned, it was Sunday; I could sleep in today dammit. Why didn't I turn off my alarm?

A rush of thoughts suddenly went through my head as I remembered the events of last night. I smiled as I turned under the covers to face Draco. A feat that was nearly impossible as his arm was clutched tightly around my waist, inhibiting most, if not all movement on my part. I didn't complain though. That feeling was…nice.

Knowing full well that I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, I gently, reluctantly, pried his arm away from my waist (with great difficulty I might add), before standing up, grabbing a change of casual clothes and walked into the bathroom where I stripped out of my nighty (Draco had put me in my red and gold one. Interesting) and got in the shower.

Fifteen minutes later, and I stepped out of the shower, dried myself, and changed into, jeans, a girl-cut red t-shirt, and a thin, smoky grey, zip-up hoodie. Then I peeked back into the bedroom I shared with Draco.

I managed to hold in my laughter at the last minute as I saw that Draco had shifted over to the centre of the bed and was currently sprawled over both sides. I shook my head slightly and grabbed a small spare piece of parchment. Without knowing WHY I felt the need to suddenly do what I was about to, I scrawled a quick note on the parchment and left it on Draco's bedside table before tiptoeing back out and exiting the Head's common room. On a spur of the moment I grabbed my coat and gloves on the way out. _It might do me good to get some fresh air as well._ I thought before the portrait closed and I was on my way.

_To the library. I'm in need of a good book._

_**When are you ever NOT in need of a good book?**_

_Shut up._

I smiled, and then continued walking through the silent halls. It was about six thirty am, and as it was Sunday, no one except the teachers would be up until at least seven-seven thirty.

I quickly made my way down to the library, selected the first book in sight that looked promising, and then curled up in one of the few comfortable chairs that the library had.

It was then that I thought I could feel a pair of eyes on me.

_Don't be silly Hermione. You're all alone in the library, there's nothing there._

I waited for a few minutes, and called out twice, but nothing appeared. Sighing in relief, I turned back to my book, opened it, and started reading.

**An hour later**

I closed the book with a sigh.

_That was good_

I looked around me slightly disappointed, though I didn't know fully why.

_He's probably still asleep._ I thought. _Any ways, if he comes when I'm not here, he'll probably think I've gone to breakfast which was where I will be after I take a short walk outside._

I then stretched, got out of my seat and replaced the book to its shelf. Then I picked up my coat & gloves, and exited the library.

As I was leaving the library, I felt the presence of those eyes again, but when I turned around there wasn't anyone there. Shrugging it off, I opened the Oak front doors of the entrance hall and stepped out into the nippy November morning air. I walked across the grounds and sat on the cold ground beneath the same oak tree I had when I talked to Ginny.

I leaned my back up against the trunk, facing towards the great lake.

I thought.

**Pansy POV**

"So you know what to do right weasel?" I asked, peaking around a corner into the empty hall beyond.

"I guess."

"Just remember, this is just a onetime thing, it's only so that I can get Draco back."

"And Hermione." He reminded me. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah whatever. Just remember, I'll lead him here on his way down to breakfast, so you'd better have the potion ready."

"Fine. Fine. Just go."

I smirked "Alright, let's put this thing into action."

**Draco PO0V**

I groaned, in my sleep and stretched. In doing so I felt Hermione's side of the bed. There was nothing there. I groggily opened one of my eyes to see that I was in fact the only one still in the bed.

"Hermione?" I called out. No answer. I got out of bed and noticed a small folded piece of parchment on my night table. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I picked it up and opened it.

_Draco, _

_Good morning. I've gone to the library to read in case you're wondering. I'll see you at breakfast._

_Hermione_

I grinned, then got up out of bed, had a quick shower, got dressed and exited the head's common room. I thought that I'd go and see Hermione before I went down to breakfast, so I headed in that direction.

When I arrived at the library however, she wasn't there, so I turned around and headed to the Great hall figuring that she had gone down to breakfast.

I had only gone a few steps before I became aware of someone staring at me. Pansy. She smiled at me, and I groaned. _Was she ever going to realize that I would never want to be with her?_ Deciding that I was going to talk to her and set things straight, I called out to her. She, however, only proceeded in smiling again, before turning on her heel and disappearing quickly around the corner. _ Dammit._

I knew that I was still quicker than her, and that she wouldn't get far before I caught up, so I walked forward briskly, following her.

I continued forward until I came to the corner that Pansy had disappeared around, where I turned, and then stopped dead in my tracks.

What I saw made my blood run cold. Ice cold. I stood there frozen, unbelieving as to what I saw. A fierce, unexplainable rage began bubbling up, as well as something else that I had never felt before. Betrayal…Hurt. I stood there stunned, my breath hitched in my throat, unable to speak as I watched the scene before me.

It was Hermione…and the Weasel… and both of them were currently in a very compromising position. The weasel had Hermione pinned up against the wall, pressing into her, and both of her denimed legs were wrapped around his waist. Her hands were woven tightly into his hair, that only resulted in his face being closer to hers, if that was possible. Both of them, it seemed were far too busy, far too much…enjoying…themselves. Hermione started panting and I felt myself choke slightly. I turned on my heel and walked back to the common room. I could feel the betrayal, the hurt…the rage continue to build as I stomped into the common room. I growled in anger, grabbing my hair in my fists and fell on the sofa my head between my knees.

_Why? Hermione, why? No…not Hermione. Not anymore._

"Mudblood." The name dripped off of my tongue with black venom as I stared into the fireplace, eyes burning.

**Hermione's POV**

I stood up from the cold ground about a half hour later and figured it was time for breakfast. Apparently my stomach agreed with me as it growled at that same time.

"I know, I know." I smiled and started walking back up to the castle. I hoped Draco was up now, he was probably already eating.

I walked into the Great Hall, headed over to the Gryffindor table, and sat in my usual seat next to Ginny. She looked up and smiled.

"Hey 'Mione!" She exclaimed.

"Ungh! It's Sunday Ginny. How can you be so hyper this early?!" Harry asked from Ginny's other side. Ginny just laughed and went back to her toast. I smiled and shook my head.

I ladled some eggs, bacon, and an English muffin onto my plate before I glanced up and around the rest of the Gryffindor table. I couldn't find him anywhere. I then looked towards the Slytherin table, but he wasn't there either. As I finished scanning the Slytherin table, however, my eyes landed on Pansy. She was staring straight at me, with a sort of satisfied smirk on her face. _What the?_ I shook it off and turned back to Ginny, grabbing her attention.

"Hey Ginny, have you seen Draco?"

Ron seemed to stiffen slightly at this. I brushed it off.

"No…He's your husband Hermione, shouldn't you know where he is?"

"Actually, I woke up early this morning to go to the library, while he was still sleeping. So he's probably still in bed."

"That's probably it Hermione. Don't worry."

"I know, it's just, he's never missed a meal before."

"Hermione, it's the morning after the dance, he's probably still sleeping. Besides, don't you two have a kitchen in your dorm?"

I nodded.

"Well then he probably ate already in your dorm and went back to bed."

"You're right."

"Always am." Ginny smirked at me; I nudged her playfully with my elbow, and then focused back on my food.

I finished quickly and left the great hall, figuring that I might force Draco to go for a walk outside with me, or maybe another flying lesson. I smiled at that thought. I came up to the portrait, spoke the password and stepped happily into the Head's common room. I saw Draco sitting on the couch his head between his knees. _Must be really tired._

"Hey Draco." No response. Okay.

The portrait closed behind me and I hung my coat up on the stand beside the portrait hole, shoving the gloves into the pockets. I turned around. Draco had not moved.

"I said hey Draco." I stepped closer, and then my mind registered. Something wasn't right here.

"Are you okay?" Still no response. I walked forward and sat on the couch beside him, he seemed to stiffen. "Draco, what's wrong?" Again, no response. Hesitantly, I placed my hand on his shoulder, immediately he shot up over the back of the sofa where he turned to glare at me, I sat there shocked.

"Don't. You. Dare." He all but spat at me.

"Draco? What's wrong?" I asked, suddenly frightened. I stood from the sofa and walked around the armrest to stand in front of him.

"Don't act like you don't know Granger!" His eyes were filled with rage and hate, I cringed slightly.

"But I don't, Draco."

"Hah! DON'T PLAY ALL INNOCENT WITH ME GRANGER. I SAW YOU!"

"Saw me what!" I half yelled back.

"WITH THE WEASEL!"

"What?!"

"YOU WERE MAKING OUT WITH HIM! I SAW YOU."

"Draco listen! I never kissed Ron!"

"OH SO YOU"RE A LIAR ? IS THAT IT?!"

"What?! No! Why would I kiss Ron?!"

"DON'T ASK ME! I WASN"T THE ONE CHEATING ON HER HUSBAND WITH A FRIEND THAT DOESN"T EVEN SUPPORT HER!"

"Draco. You have to believe me! I would never…" I was almost close to tears. He raised a hand to stop me, his eyes darkened even more with rage.

"Save it Granger. You know, I was starting to think that you might be different, and then" He paused and chuckled slightly, "you pull something like this! I should've known better." He shook his head. He backed me up against a wall, he was breathing heavily. "I will never make that mistake again. You know why? Because you will always remain the same… disgusting… dirty… little mudblood." He hissed at me. His voice dripping with black venom.

I stood there open mouthed, unmoving. Even when Draco left to go upstairs, I did not move. It was only when he reappeared dragging his trunk behind him that I found my voice.

"Wh…where are you going?"

Draco turned to glare at me. "I'm moving out. Later mudblood." He sneered one final time before disappearing through the portrait hole.

My knees caved and I fell to the floor, gasping for breath. Somehow, and I will never know just how I managed to find the strength to do it, I dragged myself up the stairs and into my bedroom. I crawled up onto the mattress and under the covers, where I settled in the middle of the bed on my side with my knees drawn up to my chest, wrapped firmly in my arms.

It was in this position that I began to rock back and forth.

It was in this position… that I let my tears flow freely, with no stopping.

It was in this position… that I cried until I drifted into blackness.

A/N: Not a very happy chapter I know. It was so hard to write this chapter. (tear tear) but it had to happen. Hope you understand.

Next chapter will be longer I promise! Though it will probably not be up until the end of exams (end of June).


	15. Snowball

Chapter 15

A/N: Sooo sorry about the long wait! As promised here is the next chapter, it should be longer, and better than the last one so enjoy! 

ps. Review! (need I ask?)

pps. K. B. (you know who you are girl!) please e-mail me with your thoughts on this chapter. 

Alright, here it is!

BTW there is a rather long 'Hermione's inner voice' conversation in this chapter. But regardless, it is crucial to the plot of the story so please bear with me.

**Last time**

"Draco. You have to believe me! I would never…" I was almost close to tears. He raised a hand to stop me, his eyes darkened even more with rage.

"Save it Granger. You know, I was starting to think that you might be different, and then" He paused and chuckled slightly, "you pull something like this! I should've known better." He shook his head. He backed me up against a wall, he was breathing heavily. "I will never make that mistake again. You know why? Because you will always remain the same… disgusting… dirty… little mud blood." He hissed at me. His voice dripping with black venom.

I stood there open mouthed, unmoving. Even when Draco left to go upstairs, I did not move. It was only when he reappeared dragging his trunk behind him that I found my voice.

"Wh…where are you going?"

Draco turned to glare at me. "I'm moving out. Later mud blood." He sneered one final time before disappearing through the portrait hole.

My knees caved and I fell to the floor, gasping for breath. Somehow, and I will never know just how I managed to find the strength to do it, I dragged myself up the stairs and into my bedroom. I crawled up onto the mattress and under the covers, where I settled in the middle of the bed on my side with my knees drawn up to my chest, wrapped firmly in my arms.

It was in this position that I began to rock back and forth.

It was in this position… that I let my tears flow freely, with no stopping.

It was in this position… that I cried until I drifted into blackness.

**Now: Ron's POV a month and a week after the incident (It is now the end of the first week of December)**

My quill lay abandoned on top of my desk as Professor Flitwick droned at the front of the classroom about some spell or another, but my focus wasn't on him. No, it was on Hermione who sat a few rows ahead of me. She had her chin in her right hand and was quietly copying down the notes. I sighed, and then glanced over my shoulder to where Pansy sat a few chairs away from Malfoy at the back of the room. She met my gaze and the look in her eyes matched mine exactly.

'_This isn't working at all.'_

I sighed again, and then turned back towards the front of the classroom. The plan had definitely NOT turned out the way we thought it would. It had seemed perfectly plausible that when Draco spotted Pansy and I, then he would break up with Hermione and take Pansy back. At the same time Hermione would have realized that he was no good, that she had made the wrong decision to marry him in the first place, and she would come running to me for comfort.

'_Boy had I been wrong'_

Instead of running to me, Hermione had completely shut herself off from everyone. This past month she had hardly spoken to anyone. She ate all her meals, and spent all her free time in her common room. The only times she ever came out was for class and even then she shut herself out. She sat alone and wrote notes, and not once even raising her hand to answer a question. Malfoy had been the same (whenever I had seen him in class that is). He talked to no body, acknowledged no one, and ate in the Great Hall in silence. Even his ever present smirk was gone in its place was a dark scowl that showed disgust and betrayal. And his eyes, that was the most confusing part, they clearly reflected an emotion that I had never thought Malfoy was even capable of ever showing. Hurt.

I looked over my shoulder again and stared into Parkinson's eyes. Our thoughts were the same.

'_Wow, we screwed up.' _

**Hermione POV**

I put my notes away in my bag, packed up my ink and quill, and then walked briskly out of the charms class room. I ignored Harry and Ron's attempts to grab my attention, and only quickened my pace, dropping my gaze when I passed Draco near the door a lump forming in my throat. I hurried out of class and started walking towards my common room. I half sighed to myself; it was the end of the last class on Friday.

I stepped up to the portrait and sighed again. It had been the same since it happened. The princess sat on the moss covered floor of the portrait arms around her knees, her back leaning up against the gilt frame as she stared up at the tall canopy of the forest trees. A single tear continuously rolling down her cheek. That's all she did, day after day, she hadn't moved at all. The prince sat at the opposite end of the portrait on a log he was slightly turned away from the princess, not looking at her, except the infrequent glance of anger and betrayal over his shoulder at her. A glare which she obviously never noticed.

It took several seconds to grab her attention, but when I did I spoke the password and entered the head's common room. I had changed it from unity, which no longer seemed to work. It was now 'broken pieces'. Fitting, I thought.

I dropped my book bag at the end of the couch and dragged myself up the stairs and into the bathroom where I filled the bath with hot water, and added vanilla scented bubbles. I stripped quickly before stepping into the pool sized tub. I swam one slow lap before I settled on a spot on the side and leaned my head back, closing my eyes.

_**Wake up Hermione dammit!**_

_..._

_**I know you're there Hermione! It's been a month, you can't block me out forever.**_

_Watch me._

_**I'd rather not.**_

_Just leave me alone!_

_**No**_

_Why not?!_

_**Because I'm much too annoying for my own good. Besides, you're being stupid, and I have come to make you realize that.**_

_I am not being stupid! He's the one that turned on me!_

_**Only after he saw you cheating on him with Ron.**_

_What?! I never did ANYTHING with Ron! You live inside my head, you should know that!_

_**I do know that. But he doesn't. **_

_It was all too good to be true any ways._

_**What do you mean by that?**_

_I should've known that this was going to happen. We aren't meant for each other._

_**Oh please. Spare me the crap.**_

_Excuse me?!_

_**You know just as well as I do that Draco was, correction IS, the best thing that has ever happened to you.**_

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms

_**It's true and you know it.**_

_It doesn't even matter anymore. He hates me now, like always, like before, MORE than before._

_**Ahh well... That's where you would be wrong.**_

_What do you mean, wrong?!_

_**He doesn't hate you.**_

_Now look who's being stupid._

_**Stop it! It's true. He doesn't hate YOU, he just hates what you did to him, or what he thinks you did to him.**_

_But he still hates me._

_**No he doesn't.**_

_..._

_**Listen. If he truly hated you all along, then after he "saw" you with Ron, he would have immediately gone back to treating you the way he did before you got married. The name calling, insulting, jeering, it would've all been there.**_

_But it wasn't. Well, sort of._

_**Exactly. Draco blew up at you in the common room. If he hated you, he would've just found a way to make fun of you, he wouldn't have reacted that extremely. And if he truly hated you, then he would sneer and make fun of you in the halls, when in reality all he is doing really is glaring, and ignoring you.**_

_What are you saying?_

_**I'm saying that he was in love with you. Was, and still is. **_

_I...In love...with me? _Despite all that had happened, the sound of those words sent small uncontrollable shivers down my spine, and put a warm tingle in my stomach.

_**Yup. So you see he doesn't hate YOU. He simply hates that you "played with his feelings" only to stab him in the back and betray him. That isn't hate that you've been seeing in his eyes, it's hurt.**_

I sighed, defeated. _You could be right._

_**Of course I'm right.**_

_But something doesn't make any sense. I wasn't anywhere near Ron that day, unless you count breakfast. I was in the library, and then outside by the lake when he said it happened._

_**Well something must have made him believe otherwise.**_

_Maybe, or it could have been someone._

_**What are you thinking?**_

_Remember that day in the Great Hall when this whole thing started?_

_**Yeah.**_

_I walked into the room and Pansy was leering at me, like she knew something I didn't. It was almost, triumphant. And then when I sat down and asked where Draco was Ron stiffened and looked really uncomfortable. And then at the masquerade. When Draco kissed me after the last dance and Ron stormed out of the Great Hall, Pansy followed him._

_**You don't think...**_

_Yes I do. _

_**They were working together to break you two apart.**_

_Why didn't I see it before?! Ron isn't one to give up easily. Neither is Pansy._

_**What are you going to do?**_

_Well I can't just run up to Draco and tell him my theory, because that's what it is, just a theory._

_**A pretty good one.**_

_He still wouldn't believe me._

_**Let me repeat myself. What are you going to do about it?**_

_I have to get Ron to confess._

_**It won't be easy.**_

_Oh, I think it may be easier than you think._

_**How so?**_

_Well, Ron responds quite positively when under extreme duress. Don't worry I have an idea, he'll break._

_**And how are you going to get Draco to believe you? He needs to know that you're telling the truth.**_

_I'll think of something. _And then something clicked, I smiled. _ I'm going to have to pay a visit to the potions room. Tonight._

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**Later that night. About seven pm. Still Hermione's POV**

"This is so wrong." I whispered to myself as I crouched behind a statue in front of the potions room. Everyone else was at dinner, and I had already peaked inside the Great Hall to make sure that professor Snape was inside. Then I had run down to the potions room and crouched down behind a particularly ugly statue on the off chance that someone were to walk by and see me.

Though I knew that Snape was nowhere near the dungeons, I couldn't help but feel as if something was going to go wrong.

"Stop it Hermione, you're just being paranoid."

I took one last look from behind my hiding spot, then stood and hurried towards the door in front of me which, by some miracle, had been left open. I snuck inside, then walked to the back of the room, bypassing the supply closet, knowing that what I was looking for could only be found in Snape's personal stores. I found the door and used a spell to unlock it before I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

"Lumos." I lit the end of my wand and started searching the shelves with my eyes. I was grateful that Snape was at least organized enough to arrange the potions in alphabetical order. I would've been there all night if that weren't the case.

"V...v...v...ah ha! Got ya." I spotted the row of small vials on one of the shelves that was about waist high to me. There were about five vials in the row, however upon closer inspection I found there to be about six more rows of vials behind it, all filled with the same potion.

"Why on earth would he need thirty vials of this stuff?" I shrugged it off then reached to the very back of the shelf and grabbed a vial from the last row. My hope was that he wouldn't notice the thievery soon enough to convict me of it.

I clutched the small glass vial in my left hand and wiped away the layer of dust that coated the surface. I raised my wand and aimed its light at the vial, smiling when it revealed the vials clear, watery potion.

"Perfect."

I dropped the vial into my pocket, extinguished the light on my wand, and then exited the store room, remembering to lock it at the last minute. I then brushed off the front of my robes, stowed my wand, and exited the potions room. I closed the door behind me and sighed. My relief was short-lived however as I heard someone shuffle their feet behind me. I stiffened, cold sweat forming on my brow.

"Well...well...well. What do when have here?"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

A/N: I was considering stopping there, but that would've been just plain cruel. Any ways, here's the rest of the chapter. Enjoy! He he he (Insert mischievous smirk and playful eyebrow quirk here)

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Still Hermione's POV**

My hair and robes whipped as I spun to face the voice. I stopped, shocked when I saw who it was. He spoke.

"Well, now why would the Granger, mud blood be down in the dungeons at this time of night?" Draco sneered as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, eyes blazing.

"I was doing some um, extra credit work for Snape." I hoped that was good enough.

He shook his head. Apparently not. "I'm not sure if I can believe that Mud blood. For all I know you could be lying to me again, you've done it before."

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth slightly, before plastering a fake smile on my face and opening my eyes to respond.

I walked up to him until our faces were only about five inches apart.

"I don't care what you think Draco. Believe me or don't believe me, it doesn't really matter."

I stared him in the eyes and didn't look away, my gaze boring into his. We held that position for several seconds before he closed his eyes and stepped backwards. He turned his body away slightly, slowly, and when he spoke his voice came in a weak whisper. Weak, yet powerful enough to confirm what my inner voice had been telling me earlier.

"Go...Just...Just go"

I turned my back to him and started walking back down the hallway to the stairs. Just as I reached them, though, his voice stopped me.

"And it's Malfoy to you"

I sighed as I resumed climbing the stairs. If this was going to work, everything had to be perfect.

This was going to be hard. '_And yet, I do love a good challenge.'_

I worked on the plan all through the walk back to my common room, where I ate dinner in the kitchen and went to bed, not realizing just how tired I actually was until my head hit the pillow.

**Next Morning**

I woke up later than usual, and groaned when I saw the clock, eight-thirty. "Dammit"

I groaned again before dragging myself out of bed and into the shower, which helped wake me up somewhat. I then dried myself with a spell, and walked back into my bedroom to change. I chose fairly casual clothes for today as it was the weekend and uniforms weren't needed.

I put on a pair of faded blue jeans, an emerald green fitted t-shirt, and a light-grey fitted, hooded sweater. I quickly put my hair up in a ponytail, and then exited the common room.

**Draco POV**

"Extra credit work my ass." Hermione, no, mud blood, was definitely up to something. Had probably been planning another rendezvous with the Weasel no doubt.

"Draco!."

_Oh perfect, just what I need_

"Leave me alone Pansy."

"But Drakey!"

"I said go." I turned to face her as she neared me.

"Don't be silly, Drakey. Talk to me, you'll feel better."

Pansy smiled and drew closer to me, however, just as she was about to touch my arm she was thrown back by an invisible force.

I stood there stunned as I watched Pansy pick herself up off of the floor.

"Draco! What was that?!" She stood up and rushed forward again, only to be thrown back by the same force as before. "What did you do Draco?!"

I glared at her once before speaking.

"**I **didn't do anything Pansy."

"Then what..." She stammered, before picking herself up again.

"It was my mother actually. She doesn't want me hanging around with tools and gold diggers, so she put this spell on me that prevents just that."

"What... But I'm not a tool, or a gold digger!"

I chuckled and sneered in her direction. "Well according to this spell you are. Later Parkinson."

She gaped at me as I turned and walked towards the entrance hall. I opened the large oak front doors, did up my coat, and put on my gloves before stepping out into the cool December morning. Maybe some fresh air will do me some good.

**Hermione POV**

I turned the corner, wondering how I was going to find him when I saw that familiar flash of red disappear around the corner ahead of me. I sped up.

"Ginny!"

I saw her head reappear from around the corner and her face break into a large smile before she ran forward, enveloping me into a huge hug.

"O my gosh Hermione! You've resurfaced." She laughed and I hugged her back. Ginny stepped backwards from the hug. "I was so worried. Are you all right?" She asked a concerned look on her face. I smiled.

"Don't worry I should be, I just have to find your brother."

"Ron? Why are you looking for him?"

"I need to talk to him."

"You're not going to ask him out are you?" Ginny asked hesitantly.

"No! Of course not. I'm married."

"That's good, cause I'd hit you if you were. You and Draco are so good together." Ginny said relieved.

I just nodded and smiled weakly "yeah... right."

"So... not that it's any of my business but, what **do **you need with my brother."

"I just have to squeeze some information out of him." Ginny's eyes seemed to flash somewhat at these words.

"Hmm really? That sounds interesting actually. Do you mind if I tag along?"

"Sure, why not, I could use the company."

"So, what did he do now?" Ginny asked me accusingly.

"You'll find out when I find Ron."

"Good enough for me. Actually, I think I saw him going into the Gryffindor common room so let's start there."

I nodded my consent. Just as we were approaching the Portrait of The Fat Lady, however, I spotted Ron coming out and heading away from us. I sped up, Ginny following close behind.

"Ron!"

He spun around and smiled when he saw that it was me who was calling out to him.

"Hey 'Mione."

I drew up to him and stared him in the face. "Don't 'Hey 'Mione' me, Ron! You have a lot of explaining to do."

He suddenly started to look a bit frightened as I grabbed his arm and dragged him over to a wall. Ginny and I stood in front of him. He was trapped.

"What do you mean Hermione?" he asked once I'd let go of his arm.

"Oh I think you know just what I'm talking about, Ronald." I said from my spot next to Ginny. Ron stared at me blankly. I continued. "You were working with Pansy to break up Draco and I weren't you?!"

"What?" Ginny exclaimed beside me. "Ron, is that true?"

"No. Of..of course not"

"Please do not lie to me Ron, I know that you're supposed to be one of my friends, however, if you do not tell me the truth right now then I may have to resort to a more _direct_ method of interrogation."

He looked a bit more frightened at these words. He gulped. "What do you mean?"

I chuckled slightly before answering. "Well Ron, you don't know this, but I just happen to have a second degree black belt in Jiu-jitsu."

"Wh...What's that?" Oh right, muggle sport. I told him what it was and his face paled immediately. He gulped visibly, all the while his eyes searching frantically for an escape route.

"Don't worry I won't hurt you, too much at least, though I will use the methods that the Sensei's (A/N: teacher in Japanese) taught me to get information out of someone. And believe me, they are _very_ effective."

"Alright, alright, it's true! We did it."

I backed away slightly a small smile forming on my lips.

"Ron! How could you?!" That was Ginny. I knew that if she wasn't stopped Ginny would resort to her own_ direct _methods of interrogation so I stepped in.

"How did you do it Ron?" I asked crossing my arms in front of my chest. Ron looked as if he was trying to get out of this situation, however, after about thirty seconds, his shoulders slumped and he sighed in defeat. When he spoke, it was so softly that I had to strain myself to hear what it was that he said.

"Polyjuice potion." He whispered. I leaned forward.

"What was that Ron?"

"I said we did it with Polyjuice potion." He said, louder this time. "Pansy was able to get a hairs off of your robes in charms class two months ago, she made the potion, then the morning after the dance she drank it and we made sure that Draco saw us kissing."

I stood there mouth hanging open slightly in shock. So Draco _had_ seen me making out with Ron! Well, not _me_ exactly, it had been Pansy the whole time. I never thought that Ron would sink that low just so that I would be with him. Un-believable.

"I'm sorry." My head snapped upwards.

"I said, I'm sorry Hermione. I was wrong to do it, and now I know that I shouldn't have."

"Hell yeah you shouldn't have Ron!" That was Ginny.

"It's alright Ginny, I've got this." I turned back to Ron. "Hell yeah you shouldn't have Ronald!"

He seemed to cringe back. "I'm sorry. Can we still be friends?" He asked hesitantly, hopefully. I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"I...I don't know Ron. I was hurt. Bad. Maybe eventually we can be friends again, but for now," Sigh. "You just better hope that I can fix things with Draco. For your sake and Pansy's."

Ron nodded weakly, then walked quickly down the hallway in the opposite direction. I didn't move until he had turned the corner and out of sight.

I breathed out a sigh of relief then slumped down against the wall beneath the window. Ginny crouched down beside me.

"Wow, I never thought that he would do something like that."

I chuckled "Neither did I."

Ginny giggled, "Well, I guess that something positive came out of this."

"What's that?"

"You had him shaking like a leaf Hermione. Why didn't you tell me you were a black-belt?!"

I laughed, "Actually, I'm not."

I glanced up at her, she had her mouth open.

"What? You mean..."

"Yup, I lied. I'm not a black belt, I took a kickboxing course two summers ago but that's about it."

"Oh...My...Gosh!"

"Hey, it was just a little white lie." I shrugged innocently. "We both know that your brother is a pansy, I just, sort of, used that to my advantage. It worked didn't it?"

"That it did." Ginny collapsed in a fit of laughter on the floor of the hall way.

"Well," I said getting up off of the floor and brushing off my jeans. "Not that this isn't fun, but I have something that needs to be done."

"Say no more Hermione." Ginny laughed once more, wiping a tear out of her eye before picking herself up off of the floor. "Go and do what you have to girl!"

I laughed, and then gave her a quick hug before dashing back down the way we had come. I had just turned the corner and was dashing down that hall wondering where I would find Draco, when I skidded to a halt by one of the windows. I looked out at the grounds before me at the figure walking there all alone. No one else was around. His hair was almost indistinguishable against the snow, but I would have been able to recognize it anywhere. I smiled, perfect.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

I hurriedly spoke the password to the princess, rushed up the stars and grabbed the potion vial off of my bedside table. Then I grabbed my coat, gloves, and scarf, and headed back out of the common room, where I made my way to the front entrance way. I made sure the vial was safe in my pocket, then I took a deep breath before pushing the huge oak front doors open and stepping out into the cold December air. Apparently it had snowed again last night as there was a fresh layer of the white powder covering the ground. It was broken only by one fresh set of tracks, which I followed, assuming to be Draco's. I was right as after a short while I spotted him ahead of me.

I quickened my pace, huffing slightly as I trudged through the thick snow. I was eventually able to gain some ground, and when I was about thirty feet behind him I called out.

"Draco!" No response. I walked closer.

"Draco!" This time he turned his head slightly, but continued walking away from me.

"Dammit Draco, talk to me!" Still no response. 'Damn'. I searched around me for something that might grab his attention, or at least force him to stop. I thought at first about using magic but then I saw the tracks I had made in the snow, the snow was packed down. Packing snow. Perfect. I smiled, then scooped up a large handful of the sticky white powder and packed it into a ball shape. I tossed it in the air a couple of times, testing its weight.

I continued my steady pace forward until I was now about fifteen feet away, then I drew my arm back, aimed, and let my snowball fly. I watched as my white, projectile flew through the air only to land dead centre on the back of Draco's head. He froze and turned on the spot to glare at me.

'Bulls eye.' I smiled to myself.

"What do you want Granger?!" He yelled back.

"I want to talk to you!" I called back. He chuckled and turned around.

"Well you're out of luck then Granger!" he called over his shoulder.

I wasn't giving up that easily. I scooped up some more snow and formed another ball, which I let fly again, this time hitting him hard, square in the centre of his back. He spun around again, growling.

"You'll pay for that one mudblood." He snarled.

Alright, that was it, I was being too nice. Not anymore. I dropped the third snowball that I had made, and sprinted towards him. I saw surprise flit for the briefest second through his eyes before I collided head on with him, tackling him to the ground. I straddled his waist and trapped his arms by his side. He struggled, but somehow I managed to keep him trapped beneath me, probably due to his shock and my adrenaline rush.

"Get off of me mudblood." He growled. I grabbed his lapels and shook him slightly.

"I thought that I told you not to call me mudblood anymore." I growled back. He sneered.

"What difference does it make. You're still a know-it-all book worm. Oh, and a liar as well." He glared at me. I rolled my eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you?! I. Didn't. Kiss. Ron!"

"Of course you did. I saw you!" I dropped his lapels.

"Ah, well that's where you would be wrong. I wasn't the one kissing Ron."

"Don't lie to me. It _was_ you."

"No. It wasn't."

He lifted his head off of the ground slightly. "Prove it."

I sighed, rolled my eyes, then reached into my jacket pocket and took out the vial. I noticed Draco's eyes follow my movements, then widen a bit when he saw what my hand was clutching.

"Is that..."

"Veritaserum, yes that's right."

"Why?"

"Why?! You told me to prove that I was telling the truth, so that's what I'm going to do."

I unpopped the cork and drank down a mouthful (about half of the bottle). I shivered slightly, as I felt the liquid working through my system.

I put the vial back into my pocket then turned my focus back down to Draco who was staring up at me an amazed look on his face. I took a breath then told him, clearly, exactly what Ron had said to me in front of the Gryffindor common room. I was able to finish in about two minutes where I ended with,

"You have to believe me now, Malfoy. You know as well as I do that no one can lie after taking veritaserum."

I waited, hesitantly as I watched many different emotions work their way across his face, as he processed what I had said.

"Do you forgive me?" I asked hopefully staring down at him.

"What was there to forgive? You didn't do anything. If anyone should be begging for forgiveness it's me."

"Oh, right." I blushed.

"There's one thing I'm confused about though."

I nodded for him to continue.

"Let me get this straight. You beaned me with two snowballs, tackled me into the snow, and drank half a bottle of veritaserum just to prove to me that you weren't lying?"

I nodded. "Yes Malfoy, I did." I closed my eyes and turned my head away slightly.

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why did you go through this much trouble just to prove me wrong? I thought you hated me."

I tried to fight the effects of the truth potion but it was too strong. Damn. "Because...well. I just. Um. Damn."

"Spit it out Granger, I'm getting old here."

"Because I love you Malfoy, Dammit, I love you!"

I gasped at what I said clamping may hands over my mouth. Draco stared at me unmoving, mouth open in surprise. He blinked several times.

"Say something Malfoy!" I exclaimed grabbing his lapels again.

He closed his mouth, gulped then opened it again.

"Don't call me Malfoy."

I stared at him incredulously. "What?"

He licked his lips before responding. "My name is Draco to you Granger."

I snapped my eyes to his face just as a small smile started to form. I beamed and squealed in happiness before wrapping my arms around his neck. He laughed, wrapping his own arms around me, hugging me back. Then I felt his arms slacken so I pulled back to stare at him confusedly. He smirked slightly before speaking.

"So...You love me huh." He said amusedly, grinning. I blushed and turned my head away. I felt his fingers pull my chin back around to face him, he was still grinning.

"Don't be embarrassed Granger." I averted my eyes.

"Why not."

"Because I'm in the same situation as you."

I snapped my eyes back down to his. "What?"

He smiled, and then caught me off guard by flipping me over onto my back and trapping me underneath him. He smiled down at me. "I love you too."

My heart fluttered. "You do?" I whispered. He nodded.

"Absolutely."

All thought was lost then as he leaned down, and captured my lips with his. It was then that I didn't care who we were, a Slytherin pureblood, with a Gryffindor muggleborn. I didn't care where we were, or that I had snow melting through my jacket, freezing my back. None of it mattered.

My stomach turned somersaults as fireworks exploded behind my eyes. I moaned, and leaned into the kiss, Draco responding just as fervently. I was soaring with happiness, before I was cursing. Cursing that we both needed air, and we were both running out of it. I pulled away, reluctantly, lips throbbing in the aftermath. I smiled, as did Draco.

"Not that this isn't romantic and all but could you let me up now."

"Why what's wrong?" Draco's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Well, I am lying on snow, so I'm pretty damn cold right now."

Draco laughed but got up off of me and offered me a hand, which I took gratefully.

"Up you get Granger."

"Alright, first things first. " I smiled. "Never call me Granger again."

Draco smiled wrapping his arms around my waist to draw me closer to him. "Well, what do you want me to call you then?"

"You can call me either Hermione, or Malfoy, take your pick."

Draco smiled. "Hmmm, Hermione Malfoy. I like the sound of that."

I smiled up at him, "so do I."

"Well then _Hermione_ there's something that I think I should give you then."

"And what's that?" I smiled.

"Close your eyes." I did so. I waited about ten seconds before I started getting impatient.

"Come on Draco what is it?"

"Payback."

My eyes flew open then and I took in his grinning face. Then my eyes travelled downwards towards his right hand, where he was tossing a snowball up and down.

"Don't you dare." I exclaimed.

"Oh I dare. You better run Mrs. Malfoy, run fast."

"Eeeeeep!" I ducked out of the way, thought not fast enough to miss the snowball that collided with my shoulder sending flying bits of snow up and into my collar and down my back.

"Ahh! That's cold!"

Draco laughed.

"Alright Draco you asked for it!" I bent down and scooped up a handful of snow, packing it together in my mittened hand. I was just drawing back my arm when another of his snowballs hit me on my other shoulder. I let my projectile fly and laughed when it hit him on the side of the face. I laughed at his surprised expression before it turned into one of playful revenge and he began throwing another snowball at me, which missed this time.

We continued throwing snowballs and unsuccessfully ducking them for another ten minutes before I was hit square in the chest with another one. I grabbed my jacket where he'd hit me.

"OH, you got me! I'm going down." Then I collapsed to the ground and made fake dying noises.

"Faker." Draco accused walking over to me.

"How'd you guess?" I asked innocently.

"Well one, you're a bad actress, and two, you were laughing the whole time."

"Humph."I crossed my arms still grinning.

"Face it Hermione." He said coming closer to me and bending down to offer me his hand. "I can read you like an open book. You're too predictable."

"Really? You think so?" I asked grasping his hand with my own. He smiled.

"I know so."

"We'll see." I smirked evilly before yanking his arm and pulling him face down beside me, then I sat on his back to stuff snow down the back of his jacket.

"Ahh! Cold! Alright, alright, I take it back!"

"Are you giving up!"

"Yes! I concede defeat, you win!"

"Good."

I stood up off of him and brushed the snow off of myself. He looked up at me.

"Will you help me up?" He asked innocently. I rolled my eyes but offered him my hand, which he took then yanked me down to the snow beside him.

"Oh of all the..."

"You should know me by now Hermione." He chuckled settling himself on top of me, pinning me to the ground.

"You didn't have to do that you know?" I accused.

"Do what? Trick you like that. 'Cause I seem to recall you doing the exact same thing to me not long ago."

"Humph ."

"Don't be like that. Hey, look at it this way, Do you really mind that I did it?"

I thought about our position on the ground at the present time and blushed, grinning.

"Not really."

"Well then," he smiled, "What are you complaining about?"

"Oh shut up and just kiss me already."

Draco smiled, but acquiesced. I smiled into the kiss, and raised my hands to wrap them in his hair and pull him closer to me.

_This is where I belong_

_**And it only took you this long to realize what I knew all along.**_

_Oh shut up._

I smiled, and resumed kissing Draco.

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**Ron POV **

I had seen the whole thing, from the window. Hermione beaning him with the snowball, then when she tackled him into the snow. I had to admit, I laughed at that part. I could hear someone walk up behind me.

"What do you want Parkinson?" I sighed.

"We screwed up didn't we?" I heard her reply as she came to stand beside me and stared out at the kissing couple. They had made up, _obviously_.

"Yes we did."

"Well, what do we do now?" She asked me.

"Nothing."

"What?"

"We do nothing. We've meddled enough already. Everyone is happier now."

"Except us." Pansy informed me.

"Well I don't know about you, but I guess I am."

"Really?"

"Yeah. All I wanted was for her to be happy and I was convinced that she would be that happy with me. I was wrong. Thinking now, I realize that she's happiest with Malfoy."

"As much as I hate admitting it, I think that you're right. After what we did Draco didn't talk to anyone, it was quite depressing actually. He didn't even come back to the Slytherin common room once the whole time."

"Really?"

Pansy nodded. "I don't know where he stayed, I just know that it wasn't in our dormitory. And now, I guess I agree with you. He's happier this way. And besides, now I know that we weren't meant to be together in the first place."

"How do you figure that?"

She seemed to blush before speaking. "I'd rather not say. Just know that I'm right when I say it."

I shrugged, then gulped. "What happens now?"

"You're guess is as good as mine." She replied, shrugging. "I have a lot of home work to do so I guess that's what I'll be doing this weekend."

"Well actually, umm, there's a Hogsmead trip tomorrow, do you think maybe, possibly, you might want to come with me and get a drink? We could talk some more."

"Hogsmead? With you?" She asked raising her eyebrows. I closed my eyes and turned my head away. "Sure, why not."

I snapped my eyes back to hers. "Really?"

"Yeah why not? I have nothing better to do, besides, you did agree to help me with this whole fiasco however worthless it may have turned out."

"So I'll meet you in the Entrance hall at eleven?" I suggested.

"Sure, see you there." She turned to leave.

"See ya Pansy."

She turned her head to glance over her shoulder. "Later Weasley." She smirked once before disappearing around the corner.

I turned back to the window, only to take in Hermione fall to the ground after being hit in the chest by Malfoy's snowball. I laughed then as she yanked him to the ground after he offered a hand to help her up. I shook my head and turned away from the window to make my way back to Gryffindor tower.

I had a feeling that things were going to be looking up from now on.

**A/N: Well that's it. Hope you enjoyed it. (the chapter was longer this time ******** hehehe)**

**Keep reading! Ciao!**


	16. Plotting

Chapter 16

A/N: Sooo sorry for the long wait! Anywhooo… here's the next chapter! Hope you like it!

p.s. I had a few inquiries as to whether or not Hermione and Draco would get revenge on Ron and Pansy, so after thinking about it I decided, what the heck! So in conclusion, all of you hoping for revenge of some kind…this is written for you. Hope you like it!

Anyways, enough stalling on my part, Enjoy. 

**Sooo sorry for the long wait!!**

**Last time**

"Well actually, umm, there's a Hogsmead trip tomorrow, do you think maybe, possibly, you might want to come with me and get a drink? We could talk some more."

"Hogsmead? With you?" She asked raising her eyebrows. I closed my eyes and turned my head away. "Sure, why not."

I snapped my eyes back to hers. "Really?"

"Yeah why not? I have nothing better to do, besides, you did agree to help me with this whole fiasco however worthless it may have turned out."

"So I'll meet you in the Entrance hall at eleven?" I suggested.

"Sure, see you there." She turned to leave.

"See ya Pansy."

She turned her head to glance over her shoulder. "Later Weasley." She smirked once before disappearing around the corner.

I turned back to the window, only to take in Hermione fall to the ground after being hit in the chest by Malfoy's snowball. I laughed then as she yanked him to the ground after he offered a hand to help her up. I shook my head and turned away from the window to make my way back to Gryffindor tower.

I had a feeling that things were going to be looking up from now on.

**Now** **Hermione's POV**

I could feel the snow start to melt into my backside again. I shivered involuntarily, yet still noticeably. Draco chuckled once before he got up off of me and offered me one of his mittened hands, of which I grasped gratefully. Draco pulled me into a standing position and I brushed off as much snow as I could.

When I had finished Draco clutched my hand in his and started leading me slowly up to the school. I hadn't realized just how long we had been outside until I saw the sun setting in the distance.

"Alright Hermione, let's get you up to the school before you catch cold." He stated with a chuckle.

"Don't worry," I responded back before shivering again. "I really don't think that's going to...to...t...Achooo! Dammit."

Draco chuckled again. "That's what I thought." I shivered again, and Draco sighed before removing his coat to drape it over my shoulders. I stared over at him surprised.

"Th...thank you." I responded before emitting another sneeze.

"Let's just get you into some dry clothes before you die from the cold and your friends blame me alright?" I laughed but nodded.

We continued walking for a few minutes in silence before we were finally approaching the front steps. It was when we closed the large, oak front doors behind us that I finally spoke up.

"Um, Draco?" I asked hesitantly. He glanced over at me.

"Yeah. What is it?"

"I was just wondering..."I hesitated, not knowing if I was about to step over any boundaries.

"Yes?"

"Since we're well... you know... together," I averted my eyes and focused down the hall as we kept walking.

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering if, well you don't have to, I'll...I'll understand if you don't but um..."

"Just say it Hermione." He said with a chuckle.

"Do you think that you might want to move back into our common room?" Draco stopped, and I started to feel a bit worried until I realized why. We were already standing by the head's common room portrait. He turned to me a small smile in the corner of his mouth.

"Really?"

I nodded.

"Why? Could you forgive me for walking out on you in the first place?"

"Draco, haven't we already established that we forgive each other? You were hurt and you needed some alone time, I know that. Of course I forgive you." I made a small smile to match his own, which broadened.

"Well, then I wouldn't have it any other way." I beamed.

"Alright, what else?"

"huh?" I stared up at him in confusion. He shook his head slightly.

"Hermione, I know you well enough to know when you have a question. I also know that until it is answered it will continue to burn a hole through your brain."

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"So out with it. What do you want to know?"

I sighed once, defeated, before answering.

"When you...moved out...Where did you stay that whole time?"

He looked over to me again. "Why do you want to know?"

"No real reason, I just want to know. Did you go back to the Slytherin common room?"

"No."

He didn't say any thing for about a minute, he looked as if he were choosing which words to use.

"I was staying in the old astronomy tower." He said turning to face me and leaning against the gilt frame.

"Why there?"

"Truthfully? I really couldn't say. All I know is that ever since I was a kid I've loved looking at the night sky. Besides, I needed someplace to think, and be away from people for awhile. It may not have seemed like it on the outside, but truthfully, I was hurt. The old astronomy tower just seemed like the perfect place while I was thinking things through."

I stared at him. "But you know that I did do anything right? Right?"

He chuckled." Of course I do Hermione, geez simmer down."

I blushed, and sneezed again. Draco laughed.

"Alright enough chit chat, let's get you inside and near the fire."

I turned to the portrait,

"Broken pieces."

I ignored Draco's raised eyebrow as I climbed into the Head's common room. I sneezed again. Draco chuckled.

"Really Hermione, was downing a bottle of veritaserum and nearly freezing yourself worth getting sick?"

I giggled and turned to face him. I smiled, " It was half a bottle actually and yes, it was."

"How do you figure that?"

"It got you to believe I wasn't lying didn't it?"

He smiled back, "That it did, which brings me to my next question, "He stepped closer to me. I nodded.

"And that is?"

"How in the ever lovin' world did you manage to get your hands on that stuff?"

I laughed briefly before sneezing again.

"I stole it from Snape." I responded innocently. I raised my eyes to meet Draco's wide open ones.

"How did you manage that?!"

I stepped closer. "As I mentioned at the beginning of this year Draco, I am a woman of many mysteries. My methods are my own." I smirked before backing away slightly.

"I knew you weren't doing extra credit work for Snape, you're too smart to need it."

"Wow! That almost sounded like a compliment." I said with clear fake astonishment, followed by another sneeze. Draco smirked.

"Almost, now let's get you dry. I can't have you wasting away on me, there'll be too many questions."

I sneezed in consent but continued up the stairs to our bedroom, Draco following close behind. We parted at the door and I walked into the closet where I traded my cold wet clothes for a pair of light grey sweats, a dark – green, fitted, long-sleeved sweater, and a pair of fuzzy socks. Warm and comfortable, simple and cozy. I then used a spell to dry my hair and my other clothes before I stepped back out of the closet.

I smiled as I took in Draco, who in my absence, had traded his own wet things for a pair of loose black sweats, much like mine, and a loose fitting, black, long-sleeved shirt. He smiled once before walking past me and into the closet, where he re-emerged a few seconds later with a comforter and two pillows. I stared after him incredulously as he lead me towards the door and out into the hallway.

"Where are w...we...Achoo!... going?"

"Into the common room, we need to get you in front of the fire, and no objections." He countered seeing my open mouth ready with a comment out of the corner of his eye." No matter how much you try and deny it, you have a cold, so no complaining, got it?"

I blushed and closed my mouth again. Draco led me over to the couch where a roaring fire had already been started. He sat me down at one end, placing one of the pillows behind my head and draping the quilt over me.

"What about dinner?"

Draco smirked amusedly. "Don't worry, I've got that covered. Don't forget we have our own kitchen."

I lifted my legs to rest them over the length of the sofa, and let my head relax against the armrest. I turned my head to gaze into the fire, and my eyelids had just started to droop when I was awoken by Draco returning with our food.

He set the plate meant for me on the end of the coffee table that I was nearest to, doing the same for himself, then he walked back into the kitchen and returned with two steaming mugs, one for each of us. He then proceeded to drag the coffee table a bit closer to the couch, before he sat at the end opposite me, placing the other pillow behind his back.

I sat up and brushed a few strands of hair away from my face. I turned to my plate and mug, smiling brightly.

"I didn't know you knew how to make hot chocolate, or even grilled cheese for that matter."

Draco smirked. "I didn't. That is until Ginny told me."

"Ginny told you?! When?!"

"When I was planning that dinner for you, I asked Ginny what some of your favourite foods were. Grilled cheese and hot chocolate just happened to be on that list."

"They better be!"I exclaimed grabbing one half of my sandwich and lifting it from the plate. "They're my favourite." I smiled, took a bite and sighed contentedly. I opened my eyes and looked at Draco.

"I didn't know you liked them as well."

"I've actually never tried it."

"Really? Why not?"

Draco took in my disbelieving face, then pointed at himself. "Pureblood wizard remember?"

"Oh, right." I averted my eyes before taking another bite.

"Being a rich pureblood, I was never allowed to eat food like this, everything had to be gourmet. Every meal was planned to complete perfection. As for the hot chocolate, my father always said that it was a childish drink. He didn't want me going all soft on him." He sighed, and stared at his plate of untouched food. "When Ginny told me what you liked, I figured, 'what the heck', and decided to give it a shot."

I laughed, "Well then go ahead. I'm not getting any younger here." I smiled, Draco glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, before tentatively picking up one of the grilled cheese halves and taking a small bite.

"Any good?"

Draco swallowed and turned back to me, resting his back on the armrest opposite me.

"Yes actually. It's very good. You're right, I was missing out on a lot."

"Ha! You just admitted that I was right!"

He just rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly before grinning and taking another bite out of his sandwich.

"Don't get used to it." He said with a clear tone of amusement in his eyes. "I've still got a reputation too uphold, you know."

I giggled silently and spoke under my breath, "Of course Draco, whatever you say."

"What's that?" he asked. I laughed.

"Nothing Draco, nothing. Just eat your sandwich."

And he did. We both did. They were really good, and it was this fact and the fact that we didn't want our food getting cold that we stopped talking at that moment and focused on our plates. We both finished at the same time and Draco stood to clear our plates, leaving our mugs which were still steaming. I picked mine up, blew on it for a bit, and took a sip.

"Good, hot chocolate Draco." I said as he returned.

"Thanks." He sat back down in his seat and took a sip from his own mug, before emitting a small sigh and licking his lips. "It is isn't it? Oh I'm good."

I rolled my eyes, and took another sip from my drink. It was finished in a relatively short amount of time and I placed my empty mug back on the table, where Draco's empty one already sat.

"All warmed up now?" he asked.

I leaned back against my pillow. "Yup, I'm all...all...a...Achoo!" I sneezed again and shivered, suddenly chilled. Draco laughed.

"Alright, come on." He opened his arms inviting me in.

"What?"

Draco grinned, "Don't make me come over there Hermione."

I knew I was beaten, so I picked myself up and slowly crawled to Draco's end of the couch, my blanket wrapped around my shoulders. I settled my self against him, head on his chest, and curled up on my side as I felt his arms wrap themselves protectively around me. I marvelled silently at how well we fit together.

"Better?" he asked. I tilted my head up to look at him.

"A bit," I answered, a small smile forming at the corner of my mouth.

We lay there like that for a short while before I noticed that Draco was being very quiet. I tilted my face up a stared at his. He himself was staring into the fire but something in his eyes told me he was troubled by something.

"Are you all right Draco?" I asked. He blinked and glanced down at me.

"Umm, yeah. Just thinking."

"About?"

"Weasly."

"And..."

Draco sighed. "I still can't believe that someone who has been your best friend for the last six years, would be that desperate to make you his. Pansy I can understand, but not Weasly."

"Really? 'Cause Ron has always been more of the type of person to overreact. Truthfully I don't know how I didn't see this coming in the first place. I should've known that he was never going to give up."

Draco glanced down at me then tightened his arms around me.

"Despite when you told me how you managed to get Weasly to confess, and I am still impressed by the way, " I chuckled to myself at his words.

"Good times...good times."

"I agree. Now as I was saying, I still can't help but feel like we should get revenge on them or something."

Something in my head clicked and suddenly, out of nowhere I had the perfect idea. I smirked before responding.

"Interesting, however maybe we don't need revenge so much as just playing with their minds a bit." I smirked and was rewarded with Draco turning his head to meet my eyes. I thought I could detect a slight mischievous glint in them.

"What do you have in mind, oh blushing bride of mine?"

I smirked mischievously. "I just thought that it was about time we gave them the news."

"What news?" he asked confused.

I told him.

He stared at me open mouthed for a fraction of a second before he crashed his lips to mine. I felt a wonderful heat form in the pit of my stomach and I sighed into him snuggling closer, not once breaking contact. We parted for air and I took in his beaming face.

"It's perfect! And you're not...but they'll think... Awesome!"

Draco laughed, and I smirked. He turned back to me.

"Did I mention before how much I love it when you go all Slytherin on me?"

"It may have been implied." I said.

"I actually find it quite sexy to tell you the truth."

"Really?" I asked the smirk still in place. Draco nodded.

"Absolutely. So, when are we doing this thing?"

"How about tomorrow? It's a Hogsmead weekend."

Draco smiled back down at me. "Perfect."

"That's...goo...g...Achoo!...ood."

Draco chuckled lightly before pulling the blanket to cover both of us, and I lay there staring into the fire, watching the flames dance and throw patterns on the wall and floor. I could feel my eyelids start to droop, and I yawned. I snuggled closer into Draco's arms, my head using his chest as a pillow, smiling as I let my exhaustion take over.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Next Morning – Hermione POV**

I awoke, quite rested I might add, to the sensation of someone tracing small circles on my upper arm. I yawned, let my eyes flutter open, and glanced up at Draco's face where my brown eyes met his swirling silver, grey ones. He was already awake and was currently staring down at me a small grin on his face. When he saw that I was awake he smiled widely. I grinned back sleepily.

"Good morning beautiful."

I chuckled lightly, " Beautiful huh? Catchy, I like it."

"Good." His smile broadened.

"Do you realize that this is the first time that I have ever actually seen you smile?" I stated. He chuckled.

"Yes actually, I do. And quite surprisingly... It feels really good."

"It should." I stated amusedly. "I like it when you smile." I blushed a bit.

"Really? You do huh? Well then I'll just have to do it more often then now won't I?"

I nodded and snuggled back down onto his chest where he tightened his hold on me. A few minutes passed in this position before Draco spoke again.

"Alright, we might want to get up and get dressed now or we'll miss breakfast."

I opened my eyes again and stared up at him questioningly.

"What? If we're not there they'll get suspicious." He responded innocently. I raised my eyebrows.

"Suspicious of what exactly?" Draco chuckled before answering

"Do you really need me to answer that one Hermione?" he said, raising his own back down at me, amusement playing behind his eyes. I rolled my eyes in his direction before playfully slapping his shoulder and getting up off of the coach.

"I'll be down in a few minutes." I said before slowly ascending the stairs, grabbing some clothes from our room and going to the bathroom, where I stripped quickly and got in the shower.

Fifteen minutes later I stepped out of the shower, dried myself with magic and dressed for the day.

I put on my light green long-sleeved peasant top, dark blue, fitted, boot cut jeans, and a pair of white sneakers. Then I dusted on some light make up in neutral tones and swept my hair up into a ponytail, with a few curls framing my face. Satisfied with my appearance, I exited the bathroom and stood at the top of the stairs.

"Shower's free Draco!" I shouted before turning back towards the bedroom. I walked inside and into the closet where I grabbed my coat, scarf and gloves. Coming out of the closet I could hear the sound of running water and decided that I would wait for Draco in the common room.

Ten minutes later, I heard his footsteps on the stairs, so I stood from my place on the couch and went to stand by the portrait. When he came into view I smiled. He was wearing another loose fitting long sleeved shirt, light grey this time, and light blue jeans, both items complementing his eyes. His face was aimed down as he stuffed his gloves into one of the pockets of his black jacket before draping it over his arm. He came to stand beside me, looked up and stopped. Staring at me.

"What? Is something wrong?" I asked, confused, as I stared down at myself. I felt his fingers under my chin as he raised my face up to meet his. He leaned forward and placed a small kiss on my lips.

"Absolutely perfect Hermione." I blushed and grinned.

"Ready?" I managed to choke out. He chuckled.

"Yup. Let's go."

I grabbed my coat, draping it over my left arm, he clutched my right hand in his and it was like this that we walked down to the Great hall.

Coming up to the Great hall doors Draco pushed them open and led me inside. Immediately, I spotted Ginny's red hair, and started to tow Draco in that direction.

"Good morning, Ginny, Harry." I said smiling, as Draco and I sat down opposite them, Ron was nowhere in sight. Perfect.

"hey Hermione." Ginny smiled at us. "All made up I see."

I grinned and nodded, before putting some eggs and toast on my plate. I took a sip of my orange juice.

"Hermione?" I looked up to see that it was Harry, who had spoken.

"Yes Harry?" I said before taking a bite out of my toast.

"Ginny told me about Ron."

"She did, did she?" I looked up and raised my eyebrows accusingly at Ginny who had a guilty look on her face.

"Sorry Hermione." She apologized, however brightened up at my amused face.

"Don't worry about it Ginny, really. Actually that's actually what Draco and I want to talk to you about."

"Alright?" Ginny and Harry both said curiously. Ginny continued.

"What's up?"

I met Draco's eyes and grinned before turning back to Ginny and Harry.

"We've decided to enact a little revenge on Ron and Pansy." I said. Ginny grinned and leaned forward, a mischievous glint in her eyes. I could see a small smile twitch at the corner of Harry's mouth.

"Really? Pray tell. What Are you thinking of?"

I told them, and was met with Ginny and Harry both collapsed on the table in laughter. After about thirty seconds they quieted down and sat up again, I noticed Ginny wipe away a tear.

"Oh my gosh!...They'll think...but your not... You're not are you?"

"No! Of course not Ginny! It's just for a bit of revenge on our part and for our own personal amusement of course." Ginny giggled.

"We're in." Harry nodded in response.

"Alright, all we need you to do is come with up to Hogsmead, and when we find Ron, just play along with whatever we say."

Ginny and Harry both nodded, still smiling.

"Will do."

"Perfect. Let's say...front entrance hall, eleven o'clock then?"

"We'll be there."

"Wonderful." I grinned and pulled Draco up from his seat, noticing that he was done.

"Let's go, we have to do a bit of planning if we want this to be convincing."

Draco smiled down a me before grabbing my arm and pushing me up against the wall, as soon as we were out of sight of the Great hall.

"What are you...Mmmph."

He brought his lips to mine for a quick, yet equally mind numbing kiss. He broke the kiss and smirked down at me.

"I've never seen you this eager to plot before Hermione. I like it."

"Really? Me too." I smirked back up at him.

"Enough with that smirk, Mrs. Malfoy, I'll have you know, that I taught you that smirk." He said playfully.

I continued to smirk. "I know you did. And no I don't think I will stop."

"Good." He responded before placing another kiss on my still smirking lips. I broke away and pushed him off of me lightly. He stepped back, a disappointed look on his face. I laughed and grabbed his hand pulling him down the hall.

"Don't worry Mr. Malfoy, there'll be more time for that later. Right now we have plotting to do."

"Right you are Mrs. Malfoy." He smiled back at me.

_Let the games begin._

_**Yes indeed.**_

My inner voice giggled, I joined her.

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A/N: and there you have it!  soo sorry about the long wait. The next chapter will be the revenge, and oh is it ever sweet! (hee hee hee)

Review please!


	17. Revenge

A/N: I AM SOOOO SORRY for the long wait! Please forgive me!!!...Ahem...annnywhooo... Here's the next chapter. Revenge is the sweetest, and for those of you who guessed what the revenge is, well...hee hee hee. You'll just have to wait to find out if you were right or not . J (Insert mischievous Slytherin smirk here).

Enjoy! (I know I did while writing it!)

**Last time**

He brought his lips to mine for a quick, yet equally mind numbing kiss. He broke the kiss and smirked down at me.

"I've never seen you this eager to plot before Hermione. I like it."

"Really? Me too." I smirked back up at him.

"Enough with that smirk, Mrs. Malfoy, I'll have you know, that I taught you that smirk." He said playfully.

I continued to smirk. "I know you did. And no I don't think I will stop."

"Good." He responded before placing another kiss on my still smirking lips. I broke away and pushed him off of me lightly. He stepped back, a disappointed look on his face. I laughed and grabbed his hand pulling him down the hall.

"Don't worry Mr. Malfoy, there'll be more time for that later. Right now we have plotting to do."

"Right you are Mrs. Malfoy." He smiled back at me.

_Let the games begin._

**_Yes indeed._**

My inner voice giggled, I joined her.

**Now Hermione's POV**

I looked at my watch, _11:00_, then looked up. I smiled as I saw Ginny and Harry approach. I nudged Draco in the shoulder, and turned back to face them. I smiled.

"Wow, only five minutes late. I'm impressed."

"Shut up." Ginny replied. Smiling back at me.

"Ready to go?"

"Absolutely."

I grasped Draco's hand and we all proceeded to walk down the snow covered road to Hogsmead village, anticipation and amusement clearly etched on all of our faces.

We entered the three broomsticks, and stomped our feet on the mat to relieve them of all their collected snow. The door closed behind us and we sighed happily as we were suddenly surrounded by warmth. I looked around, and then smiled as I saw Ron already sitting at a booth at the far end of the room. Nudging Draco I pointed. He smiled.

"Excellent."

We started to make our way over to his booth, however just as we were almost half-way there we froze. Ginny was the first to speak.

"Is that..."

"It couldn't be." Harry responded incredulously.

We all stared unbelievably at the person who had just exited from the ladies room and sat down next to Ron. I turned to Draco.

"Pansy? What is she doing here?"

"I think," said Draco, "That the real question is, what is she doing here sitting next to Weasley?"

"I think that's a bit obvious you two." Ginny said amusedly, pushing past me and heading towards the booth. Harry chuckled, "The more the merrier I guess." He said before following Ginny, Draco and I hot on their heels.

"Hey Ron!" Ginny exclaimed before sliding into the seat next to Pansy. Harry followed after her.

"Ginny? What are doing here?" Ron looked surprised, and then slightly guilty as he saw me and Draco slide in next to Harry.

"We're here for drinks oh dearest brother of mine." Ginny responded still smiling. Draco snorted, and I elbowed him in the side.

"Behave." I whispered.

"Whatever you say dear." He whispered back to me, smirking. I rolled my eyes, sighing slightly then turned my attention back to the rest of the group.

"And you?"

It was Ron that spoke, however it took a few seconds for me to realize that it was me that he was speaking to. I looked up to see his red, clearly embarrassed face staring in my direction.

"Excuse me?"

Ron gulped. "Why are you here? You probably hate me right now." He said softly his face reddening a bit more. I sighed then spoke.

"Of course I don't hate you Ron." I said smiling. He snapped his eyes back up to mine hope reflected in them.

"Really?"

I nodded. "Really. Draco and I made up. We talked about it and decided to forgive you. We realized that you've been my friend for too long, to let it break up over some stupid mistake."

Ron sighed in relief. "That's good, I guess...so umm...what _are_ you doing here exactly?"

I smiled.

_Here it comes_

**_Finally, I'm dying of boredom here, let's get to the good stuff!_**

_Shhh, I need to focus. Or do you want me to start laughing right now and blow the whole thing?!_

**_Say no more. I have popcorn waiting anyways._**

_What?_

**_I want to enjoy this!...Oh it's going to be awesome!_**

I rolled my eyes then focused back on the conversation. Ginny was talking.

"Actually Ron, Hermione said that she had something to talk to us about. Right Hermione?"

Ginny turned to me smiling. I smiled back and winked, making sure that neither Ron nor Pansy saw.

"Yes I do, _we_ do actually." I responded, gesturing to Draco beside me. He smirked amusedly down at me. I returned the gesture and turned back to face the group.

"Could we get some drinks first though, I'm absolutely parched." The rest nodded enthusiastically and I nudged Draco who proceeded to wave down Madame Rosmerta from her place behind the bar. Within a few short minutes she was at the table.

"Butter beers all around." I ordered smiling. Rosmerta left, returning shortly after with our order which she placed on the table. Everyone grabbed their drinks and I turned back to the group, sipping my own. Draco however, nudged me and proceeded to speak in a voice just loud enough for everyone else at our table to hear.

"Should you really be drinking that Hermione?" I noticed Ron and Pansy both turn in our direction, slightly confused looks on their faces.

"Why not? Butter beer isn't alcoholic Draco, remember?" I said a slight chuckle in my voice. Ron spoke up.

"Why would it matter whether or not it's alcoholic Hermione?"

I smirked slightly before answering. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you guys about." I said faking sheepfulness. Ginny grinned and leaned forward. The confused looks on Ron and Pansy's faces got stronger.

"What do you mean?" Ron continued leaning forward a bit in his seat.

I gulped. "The real reason that Draco and I asked you to come here was actually to tell you that...well...I'm pregnant." Draco emphasized the "news" by wrapping his arm around my waist, resting his hand softly on my stomach.

There was silence all around the table. I looked up and into the shocked, un-blinking, open mouthed faces of Ron and Pansy, and the widely grinning ones of Harry and Ginny.

"Oh my Gog! Hermione! Congratulations!!" Ginny squealed happily wrapping me in a tight embrace from her seat beside me. I smiled back, laughing.

"Thanks Ginny."

"WHAT!"

I whipped around to face Ron, the talker.

"You...you mean you...you're." He took a few deep breaths before sitting back down. When he spoke again it was very quietly. "I'm sorry, I just can't believe it."

"Well you better." I said wrapping my arm around Draco's waist while he tightened his hold around mine. Harry was the next to speak.

"This is for real right?"

I nodded.

"Cool. Though, it's still hard to believe...I mean...One of my best friends is having a baby."

I gulped. "Well actually...uh..."

_Should I?_

**_If I know what you're thinking, and I think I do, because if I didn't my job as your inner self would be pretty pointless otherwise, then yes you should._**

_It's not part of the plan though_

**_Yeah, so? You're point is?_**

I smiled internally.

_Let's do it._

Minnie me smiled **_Smart girl._**

I focused back on the present.

"Actually ...um...It's babies...plural."

THUMP

It took all of my strength to keep a straight face when I saw that Ron had fainted. I heard a gasp and looked up at Pansy.

"Just how many _are _you having?" She asked incredulously. I could sense Ginny's body shaking in laughter beside me. I tried to hide my smirk.

"Three, actually. Triplets." My smile broadened and I turned to Draco who kissed me lightly on the lips.

"Y...you mean...?" Pansy stuttered.

It was getting harder now to keep my face straight. And it was too late before I realized that I shouldn't have look at Pansy's facial expression right then. I broke.

Clutching my sides in laughter I could barely make out Ginny doing the same beside me and both Harry and Draco laughing loudly on either side of us. When we finally broke for air I straightened myself out and wiped a tear away from my eye before turning back to Pansy, whose confusion had seemingly tripled.

"I'm sorry," laugh "I couldn't take it anymore, the urge to laugh was just too great." I laughed again.

"What do you..." I saw realization dawn on her face. "You're not pregnant are you?"

She stared at me, and I shook my head, grinning widely.

"Nope..."

"But why then?"

"Draco and I felt that we needed to get revenge on you and Ron for trying to break us up."

My face by this point had returned to normal, as did Harry's and Draco's. Ginny, however, was still shaking slightly. Pansy responded.

"Well, being me I hate to admit this, but we deserved it." She admitted sighing. I nodded.

"Yeah, you kind of did." I looked back at Pansy who was staring at the wooden table top. A few seconds of silence passed before suddenly and without warning, Pansy erupted in a fit of giggles. I smiled, confused.

"I have to admit, Granger, It was pretty funny wasn't it." Pansy said smiling at me. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"I've heard that one before." I said glancing at Draco who caught my eye and smirked. "And if you don't mind, the name's Malfoy." I said smirking. Draco chuckled lightly and Pansy smiled.

"I guess it is." Pansy looked around the table briefly, and then stood. We followed her actions, leaving our empty bottles and some money on the table.

Just as we were abound to leave Pansy looked down at the nearly forgotten Ron still unconscious on the floor. Pansy nudged him with her foot, and when he didn't respond, she nudged him again.

"Wow." She breathed, crouching down. "What a lightweight." Everyone laughed at this before Harry took out his wand and levitated Ron ahead of us and out of the three broomsticks.

"So" Ginny commented as all five of us plus the levitated Ron made our way back up to the castle. "Should we tell him?"

I giggled, "Personally Ginny I think it would be a bit cruel not to, and besides if we didn't, then he might spread the story around the school somehow and then where would we be?"

Ginny laughed in response. "So we'll tell him?"

I smirked. "...Eventually."

Draco laughed beside me. "So... Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"You want to have triplets huh?"

"Of course not Draco! That was just for dramatic effect. And it worked."

"That it did."

We paused for a bit to catch up with the others. We were just coming up beside Harry, Ginny, Pansy, and the floating Ron before Draco spoke again.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why don't you want triplets?"

I turned to him eyebrows raised.

"What?! I'm just asking."

I giggled lightly.

"I'm going to answer this from the point of view of a female then Draco."

"Alright," He smirked clearly amused.

I noticed Ginny step closer. She would love this.

"Let me ask you something."

"Shoot."

"How do you think you would feel if you had to push something about the size of a bludger out of a hole the size of a galleon? And _then_ imagine doing it again two times right after that."

Ginny and Pansy burst out into laughter, I saw Harry shudder visibly. I turned to face Draco who had a look of pure horror on his face. He shuddered, and then resumed walking.

"I think you get my drift now Draco?"

He nodded slowly. "I think, Hermione, that I have just found renewed joy at being male."

I laughed, and saw Harry nod violently in agreement with Draco.

"You do that."

The only sound after that was the sound of Minnie me laughing hysterically inside my head.

**Fast forward to the Head's common room after dinner still Hermione's POV**

I snuggled in closer to Draco's chest as we lay on the couch in front of the fireplace. I inhaled deeply and sighed.

"If you're quite done sniffing me Hermione."

I blushed and hid my face in his shoulder; he tightened his grip on me, chuckling

"Don't worry Hermione, it's alright."

I raised my head, still blushing. Draco smiled down at me.

"Did I ever tell you how pretty you look when you blush?"

I shook my head and blushed deeper.

'Well, if I did, then I would have been lying."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Draco took one look at my face then and laughed.

"You look absolutely _beautiful _when you blush."

I smiled and rested my head on his chest again. Several minutes passed before I spoke again.

"Umm, Draco?"

"Yeah?"

I sat up from my spot between his arms and shifted down to the other end of the couch where I leaned my back against the armrest to face Draco. He looked confused for a short bit before he seemingly shrugged my actions off and proceeded to lift my feet onto his lap and massage them.

"This is sort of awkward to ask, and you don't have to answer of you don't want to."

Draco looked at me confusedly. "What do you mean? Just say it. I assure you I won't think it's awkward at all."

I sighed. "It's sort of related to today actually."

Draco raised an eyebrow at me but didn't say anything. "Alright."

I tried not to blush but failed horribly, Draco noticed this. "Come on Hermione, you're killing me here." He laughed, "Just say it, it's all right."

I sighed, and then finally spoke. "Do you want kids?"

Draco's hands on my feet paused for a fraction of a second before resuming their massage. Draco looked up at me, amusement and something else I couldn't place, clearly showing behind his eyes.

"Is that supposed to be some sort of subtle hint for something Hermione, because if it is I swear we are going to have to do some talking."

I stared at him before fully registering what he said. I burst into a small fit of laughter.

"Geez, no! You've known me for almost seven years now, when have you _ever_ seen me pregnant Draco?"

"Never, that's true, However, there was a whole lot of time before I even knew you."

I stared at him incredulously, "You think I got pregnant at ten!"

"Of course not Hermione! I was joking."

"You better be because quite frankly the thought of being pregnant at ten is just disturbing."

He chuckled and I leaned over and swatted his shoulder.

"Ow. What's with the spousal abuse?"

I shook my head and rolled my eyes, smiling. Draco smiled back and resumed massaging my feet. A few moments past before I spoke again.

"So do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you want children?"

Draco sighed then dragged me back over to his side of the couch, once again enveloping me in his arms.

"You want the truth?"

I nodded against his chest.

"Yes."

"What?" I lifted my head up to see him grinning down at me.

"Yes I do want children...eventually. Not now of course, we're still in school, but I can definitely see myself sometime in the future as a father."

I stared up at him. "Really?" Then I cast my eyes down. "What about my blood?" I said softly, slowly. I felt Draco lift my chin up to face him with one of his fingers. He stared me in the eyes.

"What about your blood?"

"You're entire family is filled with Purebloods. And I'm a muggleborn. Any children, if any, which we could have, would be half blood."

Draco chuckled softly. "Hermione, Haven't I made it clear to you that I don't care about blood status anymore?"

I blushed. "Well...yeah..."

He could see that I was still a bit unconvinced. He sighed.

"Let's put it this way. If I was still a prejudiced, pureblood prick would I currently be snuggling, quite close I might add, in front of a fireplace with a smart, beautiful muggleborn witch, who just happens to be my wife as well?"

I shook my head.

"And. If I was a prejudiced, pureblood prick would I do this?"

I stared as he leant forward and captured my lips in his. Once again I felt fireworks and butterflies erupt all at once in my stomach, and as I sighed into him and kissed him back I noticed a new feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was one that I hadn't noticed ever before, almost indescribable, however if I could describe it, it would be a warm, filling, and...completing sensation.

It was at that point I realized that I was truly happy.

I was content.

I was complete.

Ten more minutes passed after that kiss before Draco nudged me.

"Time for bed Hermione."

I glanced up at him tiredly, and yawned, nodding. We stood up and climbed the stairs to our bedroom where we entered and then parted as I went into the closet to change. I chose my Emerald green silk one with the silver lacing, and then exited the closet to find Draco about to get into bed. I giggled slightly when I saw what sleeping boxers he was wearing. He looked up at me.

"What?"

"Draco, you do realize that you're boxers are still red do you?"

After I had changed their colour from green to red while our bodies were switched, I still would have thought that by now he had noticed and would have changed them back.

He looked down then back up at me smiling.

"Yeah I know. What about them? I notice you are currently wearing the Slytherin colours."

"Green and silver are my favourite as you perfectly well already know. I just thought that, with you being the big bad Slytherin that you would have changed the colour back to green."

"It's starting to grow on me actually, if you don't mind. And besides my beautiful wife whom is a Gryffindor is currently wearing a short nighty in the Slytherin colours so I really don't see what the problem is." He responded casually while sitting under the covers. He patted the mattress beside him and grinned up at me. I rolled my eyes, smiling, turned off the lights and got into my side of the bed. Turning onto my side I smiled as I felt Draco wrap his arms around me and pull my body back tightly against his.

"Do you mind?" I heard him ask softly.

Instead of speaking, my response was simply to wrap my top arm around his, clasping it closer into myself. I sighed and closed my eyes.

**_Maybe there is hope, yet still, eh Hermione?_**

I closed my eyes and smiled.

_This is where I belong._


End file.
